Till The Last Rose Dies
by xXAsuka-chanXx
Summary: The lord who had it all, yet nothing. The girl who was genuine, yet colored by her past. She saved him even though she despised men. He helped her even though women didn't appeal to him. They were finally happy, until tragedy struck.
1. The Beginning

'**Till the Last Rose Dies**

**I've finally worked up the courage to read this story over and do some much needed editing. I'm probably going to commit mental suicide, but I don't believe I can go on WITHOUT ending this.**

**Full Description- Meet Haruno Sakura, (the poor yet beautiful co-flower shop owner living with her best friend Ino) Uchiha Sasuke, the drop-dead-gorgeous young lord of Konoha. She wants to become a doctor and has nothing at all, while he has it all but just wants to be free. But most of all, she despises the rich, sleazy, and greedy- especially Sasuke. But when she accidentally saves him from the town's women, he slowly falls for her. Can he show her he's not what he appears or was it not meant to be? Watch these two from completely different worlds face love, heartbreak, drama, war, and even...death?**

**(You'll find out why it's called 'Till the last rose dies' later) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters, but if I did, the places I would go…**

**Chapter 1: The beginning**

"Come on, Saku-baby don't be a tease." Grinned a sleazy man as he reached out to touch the pink-haired woman behind the counter of a tiny flower shop.

'_DON'T "BABY" ME YOU SLEEZY SON OF A-' _but for the sake of her job, she held her tongue. And with a deep sigh, she resisted the urge to punch the guy into next week as she smiled with her mouth, but not her eyes. "Please, sir, just pay for your peonies and be on your way. I'm very busy-"

"A pretty girl like you deserves to be swept off her feet. If you give me the time, I could **really** keep you busy." He grinned once more as he cupped her chin in one of his hands. She resisted the urge to bite him.

"I'm warning you, sir. Pay the money or I'll _make _you pay." She replied as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Amused, he laughed. "Really? I just might want to take you up on that offer-EYYAAAAAAOUCH!!!!!" he howled with pain as she tightened her grip on his wrist.

The more he pulled on it, the more it threatened to break. Finally he gave in, gave one last howl, slammed his money onto the counter and left unsatisfied.

Ino, who had been watching the scene, shook her head as she leaned against the doorway of the storeroom also behind the counter. "Sakura, you're never going to get any action in this town with that attitude."

"What _attitude_? Ino, he was just another sleazy, rich bastard and you know it-"

"He seemed nice to me. I'm sure he could've provided _some_ kind of pleasure for you." Ino countered as she crossed her arms.

"**Nice**? He was married, Ino! Didn't you see the ring on his finger??" Sakura protested as she turned to face her friend, not believing what she was hearing. Her friend shrugged and flipped her hair. "Well that definitely says something about his wife if he has to go around hitting on pretty flower shop girls."

Sakura ignored the wink her friend gave her and returned to counter. "I'd never be caught dead with a man like that."

"Sakura, from what I've seen you're against men completely-"

"I am not! I just can't stand men like **that**…"

Ino sighed. "Well whatever Sakura. If he's handsome and has money then I can deal with a little 'sleaziness'."

Sakura spun around to face her friend. Outrage outlined the corner of her mouth and her eyes. "Even if he ends up leaving you sick and heartbroken on your deathbed?!!"

"Whoa, I never said that, Sakura. Calm down."

"I'll never forgive that bastard for what he did to my mother…they're all the same." Sakura mumbled through gritted teeth. Ino walked up to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. "Honestly Sakura, not every guy is like your dad. I bet if you look hard enough you'd find some good guys out there"

"Che. Name one."

"Okay, so maybe we haven't found one yet—but he's definitely out there! We're beautiful young girls. I'm sure that if we look in the right places, the guys will be falling left and right!"

"Let me know when that happens. We aren't exactly rich, Ino."

"Well we don't have to be rich to have a guy fall for us. Honestly, you got some stuff to flaunt, Saku-"

"Ino, even Ms. Takamine got a husband and she's a house! Her husband married her for her money. I'm not surprised that there's been a rumor going around that he's been cheating on her with the woman next door..."

"Sakura, what's wrong with you- you're usually the smart one! Did that guy smack you around a couple times before you nearly ripped his arm off?!" Ino asked spinning the pink-haired woman around so her jade eyes could meet her blue ones.

Sakura turned back around without a word. Suddenly, a wonderful idea came to Ino. "I know what you need. Some fresh air. Maybe you'll even spot Uchiha-sama-"

She snorted and spun around to meet her friends blue eyes again. "Uchiha? That pig? He's nothing more than a selfish, cold-hearted fiend who doesn't care about who he steps on."

Ino gaped at her. "How could you say that about our Lord like that?!"

"What, it's not like he could hear us. And even if he did I wouldn't care if he did. I'm not going to bow down to him just because he's good looking. I don't have any respect for him because as far as I'm concerned, he hasn't done anything to earn it."

"B-But…" Ino sputtered before Sakura held up a hand. "I don't bow down to anyone, Ino. Not even Uchiha Sasuke." And she disappeared into the backroom.

Ino sighed. "Well…if you insist, Sakura _but I seriously think the ONLY coldhearted one is you_."

Of course she would never ever tell her that. Sakura had a right- in a sense- to despise men like that- even if it meant jeopardizing her chances of ever getting married.

Her pink-headed friend was in need of fresh air. That's when a clever plan popped into her head. "Sakura…can- you do me one teeny tiny favor?" she called as sweetly as she could before skipping after her friend.

"B-But Uchiha-sama!" stammered a man with wispy silver hair and spectacles as he ran after the young Lord.

He was at least down a level of the large castle before he finally listened to the pleas of the old man and came to a complete halt. The old man ran into him and quickly apologized.

"Kaito, what have I told you about bringing women to this castle?" the man asked with an edgy tone to his voice. Uchiha Sasuke was royally pissed.

"B-But Milord…you are young- and in need of a wife-"

This irked him even more. Sasuke turned around to face him, his obsidian eyes glared down at him as he cowered for he knew him all too well- he could even say that when Sasuke was angry, you could see his eyes tinted with red.

"I'm perfectly fit without a woman running my life."

"My apologies Milord, but as your personal advisor I think you need a little…guidance in your life-"

This seemed to nearly push him over the edge as he stared down at him even more menacingly. "Come again?"

"W-W-What I'm trying to say Milord is...the most powerful Lords of Konoha were strengthened by their significant other—in this case, a woman. Besides, we are not in good terms with the neighboring countries. If we were to go to war and you were to fall—which is highly unlikely for you Milord—if you had a wife who bore you a son your legacy would live on!"

Sasuke calmed himself a little but still peered at him with small slits as eyes. "I have no intentions to marry anyone. bring another bride to my door I shall strip you of your status and throw you in the dungeons to rot. Do I make myself clear?" he asked making the man shudder with horror.

The man bowed humbly. "My most humble apologies Milord. I understand completely." And he scurried off down a corridor.

Once the elder was out of sight, Sasuke gave a deep sigh and ran a hand through his messy raven hair. This was becoming extremely troublesome. There had been a total of 20 brides coming to his door non-stop for the past month, and this week there had been a **line** outside his door.

"I don't understand you at all, teme!" complained a noisy blonde who emerged from behind a corner. Sasuke didn't jump; he was used to his friend emerging from peculiar places.

"Hn." He answered as he walked past him. The blonde ran up to catch up to him and explain. "I mean, women practically LINE UP at your door for you and you won't give even them a chance!"

"Hn." Sasuke answered once more. The blonde sighed. "You aren't gay…are you?"

This made Sasuke stop completely to glare at him. "Naruto…" he growled which made Naruto grin. "At least I know that you aren't going mute on me. The evil eye's a 'no' right?"

Without a word Sasuke started to walk away, but Naruto followed him innocently. "You aren't telling me the _real_ reason why you don't want a bride, Sasuke. Come on, don't be a teme!" he whined seemingly more like a small blonde child than his 17 year old friend.

"I'm already imprisoned in this castle. I don't need a woman adding to the situation." He answered flatly without looking at him. "I see…you don't want to end up 'whipped'-"

"I want to be free." Sasuke snapped glaring at his friend with another death glare. "I was only teasing, teme." Naruto mumbled, softening his expression. Then his face lit up once more and he put an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"I know what you need, Sasuke!! Some fresh air!"

"Che. If you haven't noticed already I'm not allowed to leave." Sasuke retorted with a snort. Naruto's grin widened. "Exact. Come on before that old geezer notices you're gone." With a yank of his friends arm they sprinted (or rather Sasuke was dragged) down the long staircase, down a hall to the outside air.

As Sakura grumbled through the town she reminisced about the previous events.

'_Puuuullleeeeeeezeeeeeeeeee Sakuuuurraaaaaa' begged Ino, practically on her hands and knees now._

'_No!!! For the thousandth time!! If you want to know so bad get it your damn self!!" Sakura shot back angrily. She couldn't believe what she was hearing._

'_But what are friends for?? You're supposed to help me in time of need, and I NEEEEDDD you!!'_

'_It's degrading Ino. I refuse to go out there and buy…THAT for you.'_

'_But I can't buy it myself…it's degrading! You already pointed that out. Besides, I've already gotten it myself once and I got lucky because no one recognized me- and you never really go out anymore anyways!'_

'…_I still have dignity Ino! People will think I'm as sleazy as the men in this town!'_

'_Then- disguise yourself and GO quickly! Pleeeaaaseee Sakura this is the LAST favor I'll ask of you this month.'_

So here she was, disguised in dark shades, hiding her jade orbs, a hat hiding her unique, yet strange pink hair, a scarf and an outfit of Ino's (claimed that it was never worn before),

No matter how hard she tried, people always stared. Even if she was dressing up or not. That was one of the reasons why she liked to keep to herself. The menacing stares of passerbys made her feel uncomfortable.

It also reminded her of her childhood. When she was walking down the streets of this cursed town with her mother- yet she was too ignorant to understand then.

The passersbys would glare and whisper to each other at them. One day, she overheard two women talking.

'_Is that- her child?'_

'_Such a strange child'_

'_With her mother's hair, and that __**monster's**__ eyes.'_

'_She'd be beautiful if she wasn't an illegitimate child- and the daughter of __**that man**__'_

'_Why did she even bother to __**keep **__her?'_

'_I guess __**he**__ rubbed off on her.'_

'_Just what this town needs. A__** bastard**__ child.' _

A bastard child, a monster was what she was called. All because of one man, and a woman desperately searching for love but instead found a nightmare. Yet, what Sakura never understood was why her mother kept her instead of getting an abortion. Her life would've been much easier without her. Because of her birth, her mother was known as "the common slut" or "nothing more than a whore.", or even "the victim of that **monster**"

But what brought her out of her thoughts was the pain surging through her palms. When she looked down crimson smeared on a plastic bag holding what Ino wanted: a pregnancy test.

Remembering that bitter memory always made her feel as if she were bursting with rage. She was glad no one could see her eyes filled with such murderous intent, or they might've arrested her.

Because she swore if she ever saw her father again, for all the pain he caused her mother and putting her through heartbreak great enough for her to succumb to a terminal illness and an eternity of loneliness…

She'd kill him.

But as she reminisced, she heard shrieks and the ground shaking a few blocks away. _'An earthquake? No…it's too small to be one.' _Curious to see what was going on, Sakura walked down the street only to find a large crowd of women huddled around someone or something.

As she made her way through the crowd, she found a raven-haired boy about her age having his arms pulled from either side of him. Half the crowd was on his left, the other was on his right.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked a brunette murmuring squeamishly to another. "What does it look like? We're trying to claim him!"

"'Claim him'?" Sakura repeated, puzzled by the matter. The friend of the brunette rolled her eyes. "You must be foreign. Every woman in Konoha wants to get her hands on this guy."

"Konoha's pretty much broken up into two halfs. There's us, and there's them." Added the brunette. "The shopping district is on the left, and the regular townspeople and most of the homes are on the surround the shopping district."

"I see. Who is this guy?" Sakura yelled over the crowd as it seemed to get louder. She heard the women's mouths moving, but couldn't hear the answer by a loud blonde shrieking something obsurd.

That's when, from out of nowhere, a blonde boy pushed his way through the crowd, pushed the raven haired out of the girl's grasp, and ran him out of the crowd.

"LET'S GO!!" he shouted as the girls gave chase.

'_Poor guy. Wonder what he did.' _She thought for she didn't see his face, only his poor body being yanked back and forth.

Sakura was about to go home when her conscious stopped her. What if this guy needed help?

_You gotta save the poor guy._

_It doesn't concern me. I practically don't count when it comes to things like this. _

_But if it were you wouldn't you want someone to save you?_

_But that blonde boy…_

_Well a hoard of women are chasing after them. If they trip or stop to catch their breath they're going to get trampled or even torn apart!_

_Damn. _Sakura thought. Why did she have to have such a nagging conscious?

She looked around, trying to find a way to catch up to the stampede. That's when she saw it. An alleyway leading to the other side of the shopping district, where the two boys and the women probably were.

'_It's worth a shot.' _Sakura though and hurried down it, hoping her prediction was right.

It was going to be a long day.

**End of chapter. **

**So there weren't as many mistakes as I thought there was going to be. But I still have another 44 chapters to go…**

**Till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	2. The Encounter

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters, but if I did, the places I would go…**

**T.T I'm so happy that I got 5 reviews and over 95 hits on the first day! I'm so excited on how great this is starting out. I should have more HF moments (hf HOLY F. Look on my profile for what it really means) so I could write more stories for you guys :) **

**down the line I want to ask you guys what pairings you guys want and I'll create a story with them along with the genre. Any ideas? Let me know and I'll make it come to life.**

**Chapter 2- The Encounter**

"Naruto…remind me again why we're came here?" Sasuke asked through gritted teeth. The blonde rubbed his head sheepishly and gave a nervous laugh. "Well…to help you out…you know, give you some fresh air and maybe even some ramen-"

"YOU THINK THIS IS HELPING ME?" Sasuke demanded as the two ran down the streets of Konoha, trying to outrun the large vicious crowd of women chasing them.

"Sorry Sasuke…I guess I kinda forgot you were practically a god among the wo-"

"FORGOT?"

As the two ran deeper into the shopping district, the two reached an intersection and looked around. "What do we do?" Naruto asked as he looked back fearfully. The women were only about half a block away.

Naruto looked puzzled when Sasuke stripped off his shirt and shoved it at him. "Split up." He answered and ran left. "If they chase you I can get away." He shouted behind him.

"B-But Sasuke WHAT ABOUT ME?" Naruto shouted after him as he watched his friend sprint off into the distance. Unfortunately he couldn't stick around and hear what he had said over his shoulder as the ground started to shake once more and angry cries from the women got dangerously near.

Then his eyes widened when he realized Sasuke's shirt bore the mark of the Uchiha clan. And the women noticed it immediately instead of seeing who was holding it.

"LOOK! IT'S THE UCHIHA SYMBOL!" shouted a girl from the crowd. "IT'S SASUKE-SAMA WITHOUT A SHIRT !CHARRGGGGEEEE!"

"WHY MEEEEEE?" Naruto shouted to the sky as he took off into a sprint opposite of Sasuke's direction. It definitely wasn't his day.

Sasuke slowed down when he reached the main part of the district. No one was chasing him, the ground wasn't shaking. He was safe.

He stopped to wipe the sweat off his forehead and looked around. Konoha didn't look too bad without the screaming women threatening to rip him apart and hang him on their walls for "safekeeping".

His eyes wandered upward towards the cerulean-blue sky with a few clouds floating around peacefully. If only he could be one of those clouds; without a care in the world. No obligations, no rules, no women wanting him. Lusting for him or being locked away…just freedom.

But his daydreaming was cut short as someone in the distance started to run toward him.

"S-S-S-ASUUUUUKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE RUNN!" the dot screamed as it quickly got bigger, ran toward him, past him, and jolted down the street.

"Shit." He swore under his breath as he felt the ground starting to shake again. Slowly, Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked back and saw the stampede charging at him.

That was his cue to start running again.

Sasuke prayed that the heavens would send someone to help him from being trampled or ripped apart and as he ran past an alleyway.

That's when his prayers were answered as a pair of hands took him by the neck and waist and pulled him out of sight.

Sakura sighed mentally. What the hell was she thinking saving some random guy like this? Looking dumbfounded, he stared at her.

"Who-"

But she knew she was running out of time. The women were going to find them any second. All they had to do was glance down the alleyway and they were done for. With quick thinking she took off her hat revealing her unique bubblegum pink hair, tied the scarf around it so it appeared red from a passing glance, stuck the hat on his head and pushed him against one of the side walls.

"Act." She commanded and pressed her lips onto his. Even though her eyes were still covered by the glasses she could've sworn he could feel the intensity of her jade orbs.

_'Looks like my prayer was answered…'_ Sasuke thought, caught off guard by the woman suddenly pulling him into an alleyway, throwing a large hat on top of his head, pushing him against a wall and kissing him against his will. However he found that he was slowly being captivated by her soft lips and the sweet scent of cherry blossoms.

Sasuke could no longer hear the loud stomps of hundreds of lustful women or feel the tremors the earth made as he wrapped his arms around the strange woman's tiny waist. All he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat synchronizing with hers.

The tenderness of her kiss, the soft skin against the hard planes of his chest, the smell of flowers from her strangely pink hair.

Was this girl real?

He was brought back to earth when she slowly pulled away from him. Her plan had worked. To the women, it looked like another couple trying to get away from the world by being pressed against each other in a dark alleyway.

There were no more tremors or loud stomps or screams. Just complete and utter silence.

Sakura sighed with relief, put a hand to her head, and grinned. "I never would've thought they'd buy it. What a relief!"

But Sasuke gaped at her. Were all the women of Konoha this _daring?_ "Who-are you?" he asked when he found his voice had returned, but the shock was palpable in his tone.

"Never mind that right now," she answered as she grabbed his wrist once more. Let's go before they decide to come back." Before he could protest she gave his arm a jerk and rushed him down the alleyway and down a few blocks so they could safely enter the flower shop.

"Back this way." The mysterious woman told him in a hushed whisper as if the women would hear her if she spoke any louder. He was led to the back room and into one of the rooms.

Inside the room smelt of cherry blossoms and perfume. The walls were painted white and was relatively small compared to the massive space he was accustomed to at his castle. It had the basic furniture; a small bed in the far right corner, a desk on the left, and an armoire nearest to the door. The most appealing part of the room was a large window draped with light pink curtains.

However Sasuke noted that scattered on the bed were various medical books, a first aid kit, and a book on medicinal herbs.

"It's not much, but this is my room. You can hide in here until the commotion dies down." The woman told him as she moved over to her desk to set the shades and bag for Ino down. Sasuke said nothing as he made some space for himself to sit on the bed. Onyx eyes flickered from her to the book on medicinal herbs.

Sakura turned to look at him as he took off the hat. He was extremely handsome and had mysterious eyes.

'_Look at his BODY Sakura!' _her dirty thoughts screamed, forcing her eyes to steal a glance at him. Her thoughts didn't wrong her as they gawked at his sweaty, chiseled abs. From his appearance he seemed to be running for awhile before she found him. Perhaps over an hour- and obviously lost his shirt in the process.

Just as he looked up Sakura turned around completely so she was leaning against her desk. "I'm guessing the man being chased now is your friend?" she asked as she untangled the red scarf from her hair and took off her shades so her jade orbs could meet his obsidian ones.

"Aah."

'_Not much of a talker is he?' _Her thoughts noted as she studied his expression.

"I should find him-"he started but froze suddenly as he came face-to-face with her. Sakura pushed on his right shoulder. "Did you forget that savage women are running wild outside?"

Reluctantly, he sat back down, trying not to meet her eyes again; he seemed shy and lost. Sakura gave him a sympathetic smile. "You're worried about him."

Though he said nothing, though he had just met her, she seemed to read regardless of his stoic expression. "Aren't women supposed to be more reserved?"

"They aren't always like this…then again I wouldn't know too much." She chuckled a little sadly. Sasuke turned to look at her as she made room to sit next to him. Sasuke looked at her questioningly.

"I'm an outcast. Not a lot of people know I even exist in this town…"

"Sounds perfect to me." He answered. She looked at him wildly. "No one can treat you differently if no one knows who you are."

Sakura smiled lightly. His wording was terrible and straightforward, but his intentions were sincere. "I guess you're right."

Sasuke studied her from the corner of his eye; bubblegum pink hair, innocent jade orbs, and a somewhat curvy physique. Never in his life had he seen such a unique yet beautiful girl. If she hadn't kissed him just moments ago, he would've thought he was dreaming.

"Why did you save me?" he asked her as she walked over to her window and looked up at the sky. The setting sun reflecting against her skin almost making her seem angelic.

She chuckled and stole a glance at him. "Save you? What I really did was kidnap you."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but his eyes questioned her. "Pulling you into an alleyway, not telling you my name, then forcing you to stay in my room isn't exactly what you call being 'saved'."

And she was right. Besides ignoring the nauseated feeling in the pit of her stomach Sakura realized that this had been her boldest move since she had cut her hair own hair when she was 7- when her mother was still alive, but bed-ridden.

Sakura had never been kissed- let alone be within 5 inches of a boy. Yet here she was, allowing a **shirtless **boy to sit on **her **bed; completely ignoring the gut feeling screaming at her to kick him out and leave him in psycholand with the Konoha women.

Sasuke stood up and gave a small chuckle. "Being 'kidnapped' isn't so bad."

Sakura turned to face him and grinned.

"I'm guessing you run this flower shop?" he asked looking around the room. Sakura smiled sheepishly. "It's not much, but it's a nice place- even if we get a lot of sleazy customers."

"Sleazy?" He asked wandering over to her desk

"Men who are married hit on me non-stop. Almost 24/7. I never seem to get any rest from them." She explained and sighed miserably. "When I send them away my friend Ino who lives and works with me tells me I'll never find somebody with 'that attitude'."

Sasuke snorted. "Do you hate your job?" he asked as he ran a finger over the stack of books and papers. Sakura shook her head. "The flowers brighten my day, but it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I really- want to become a doctor-as you can see." She stopped to point to all the books scattered around her room. "-But Ino- whose only passion in life besides men are flowers and running this shop- tells me that I should start saving up. But I'll never have enough money to practice."

"Don't give up so easily. You'll never achieve your dream by talking like that." Sasuke replied sternly, turning to meet her surprised jade orbs.

"You're a complete stranger and yet you're talking to me like we've known each other our entire lives." Sakura commented as a small smile curled at her lips. "But you're right. If I start saving now, I might have enough money to practice when I'm 40."

The two chuckled softly as Sakura's gaze returned to the window and the setting sun above. The sky was painted various shades of crimson and violet.

"I love this time of day. It's so peaceful." Sakura said as if she was in a daze. "But you must think I'm crazy telling you this."

"Not quite." Sasuke answered, moving over to the window with her and leaning on the ledge. "When I die, I want to be reincarnated as a bird."

This made Sakura laugh. "Now _that's_ crazy. A bird? Why?"

"So I can be free." He answered softly, meeting her eyes once more. "Free?" Sakura repeated.

"This is the first time I've been out of my house in nearly two years." Sakura gaped at his words. It was like she was looking at an exact copy of herself. "…Two years?"

"The elder I live with has kept me busy. Until today, I thought I was never going to see daylight again."

"So your friend helped you sneak out?"

"Aah. But we were followed after we entered the shopping district. I was caught, but Naruto grabbed me and ran."

Sakura wanted to ask what exactly did he do to get so many women chasing him, but he stood up straight and looked at the door, obsidian pools were serious, almost piercing.

After hesitating, she nodded. "Right." And headed for the door.

"Matte." He told her before she walked out of the entrance. "I never got the name of my 'kidnapper'."

Sakura chuckled at his remark. It had a nice ring to it. "It's not that important. I'm no one special-"

"You're a pink headed girl." Sasuke interjected. "Who saved me."

The gaze in his eyes made her heart pound out of her chest and made her cheeks pink. "Ha-Haruno Sakura. That's my name."

Before she could ask him his name, someone outside was yelling. At first it was muffled, soft, hardly noticeable. But as it got closer, so did the tone. Until finally you could clearly hear someone screaming:

"SASUKE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!"

Sakura turned to the door with wide eyes. _'Who IS that?'_ she thought irritated immediately by the voice. But Sasuke didn't seem too surprised. Maybe he was used to idiots yelling from where he lived.

Sakura followed him outside to find an exhausted, sweaty, blonde boy a few yards away, walking and shouting.

"Who is that idiot?" Sakura said aloud, wincing at how loud he was. Sasuke smirked. "That's Naruto." This made Sakura gawk at him.

This raven-haired boy was soft spoken, more calm. But this- this blonde boy was obnoxiously loud. She knew opposites attracted, but _this_ was ridiculous.

"Naruto." Sasuke called in his calm tone making the boy sprint over to him with large blue eyes filled with joy.

"SASUKE! YOU'RE ALIVE!" he exclaimed happily. "What happened to you after I ran past you?"

"I was saved." He answered, meeting Sakura's eyes for a second. "What about you?"

"Lucky bastard! I had to climb a tree to save my ass! They gave up after awhile but Kami they're persistent-"

When the boy was done explaining, he finally noticed Sakura standing awkwardly next to Sasuke. He stepped about 4 feet back, a little cautious and ready to run if necessary. After all, he had been chased all day.

"She's the girl that saved me." Sasuke reassured. Naruto's expression softened and he grinned like a Cheshire cat, leaping his way over to her. "Hey she's cute Sasuke! Nice! What's your name?"

"Haruno Sakura." She answered as she forced herself not to show disgust in her expression by gritting her teeth. Naruto grinned. "You're like a flower, just like your name! Thanks for saving Sasuke-teme for me. I'm surprised he allowed you to save him. He's been avoiding women for a month now."

Sakura's relaxed her jaw and gave a light smile. He babbled and he was loud, but Naruto was alright. Sasuke grabbed his arm. "Let's go Naruto." But as he dragged him away, he didn't take his eyes off her.

"CHE! I never get any girl! It's just like an Uchiha to get all the attention and not share. You know you're really selfish sometimes Sasuke-teme…" he complained as he threw him his shirtas their conversation was out of her range..

That's when it hit her. Sasuke. He wasn't some poor boy who pissed off the wrong girl in Konoha. In fact, he wasn't an average boy at all. The handsome boy she had kissed was one of the few people she despised the most in this world…

He was none other than Uchiha Sasuke.

**End of Chapter**

**Whoo! I didn't know I h****ad to edit chapter 2 so much**.** The breaks mean it changes points of view. Which happened a lot. But now it won't since the identities are revealed. **

**I actually wanted to get this uploaded on Monday, but I added a little extra in it so it took longer. But I hope to have chapter 3 out by Thursday. I'm excited! Read and Review!**

**Until next time!**

**3 xXasuka-chanX**


	3. Falling

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Yea. I think you all get the point. **

**A/N: Whoo! Ch. 3 is finally typed and uploaded! If I haven't bored your eyes out then keep reading. I'm proud of myself for being a diligent author this past week. I'm really looking forward to seeing how far this story will go. So far, so good.**

**I've also like to remind you that this is the creation of a HF moment, so I don't really see an ending yet. I do see a glimpse of it. And it's kinda sad. It might make you guys cry. But I might let you guys choose the ending.**

**Hinata lovers: She will make her appearance ****VERY SOON****- Compliments to passion244.**

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**Chapter 3: Falling**

'_Leave it to an Uchiha to get all the attention…' _Naruto's words played back in Sakura's head like a broken record.

_Uchiha._

_**Uchiha.**_

_**Uchiha.**_

"So…STUPID!" She shouted at herself as she threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.

Why hadn't she made a connection earlier? Why didn't she make an effort to find out his name BEFORE busted her butt to save him?

'_Well it's not like you get out much. Have you ever even SEEN the Uchiha besides today?'_

'_N-No…I guess not…But the minute I think I found someone to confide in, to really talk to, it ends up being UCHIHA Sasuke!'_

Her thoughts mentally slapped her. _'You're absolutely STUPID! Why did you suddenly decide you were going to hate the Lord in the first place? Did you just one night looking up at your ceiling and say '…ah…you know what I hate him. I'm going to spend all night thinking of ways why I should hate him'?'_

Her thoughts did have a point. It's not like he did anything to her personally…which made her thoughts strike a nerve.

'_You choose to hate him because of what happened to your mother, and how your father contributed to her death. You were so angry at yourself- that you couldn't do anything to stop him from leaving or her dying- that you needed somebody to blame.'_

'…'

Cold tears slid down her cheeks and hit her pillow with a soft plop. Sakura closed her eyes, she could just see her mother's corpse, lying motionless on her bed, before being carried away to be burned, her ashes disappearing with the wind, leaving her alone in the world.

She knew in her heart that it wasn't anyone but her father's fault that her mother died. But why did it have to be **her** mother? Her kind and beautiful mother? Why didn't anyone try to _help_ her instead of **shun** her, leaving her for death?

'_You couldn't blame yourself, so you blamed the Lord. You thought that he should've seen what the townspeople were doing, and stepped in, helped her. But you forget that he's the same age as you. How could he have known?'_

But before she could answer her thoughts she heard someone come to the door.

"Phew! That was a complete waste of time!" Ino complained loudly. Sakura decided that was her cue to wipe her eyes, walk over to her desk to get the pregnancy test Ino asked for, stuff it in her pocket, and stand at the entrance of the backdoor of the shop to see Ino wiping her forehead.

As she took off her coat and picked an autumn leaf from her hair, Sakura leaned against the door way. "Where have you been?"

"Haven't you heard? Uchiha-sama was spotted in town earlier. Me and the other women decided to track him down while you were out. I figured you'd come look for me with all that commotion going on."

Sakura didn't answer as she picked up a watering can and moved over to the flowers.

"Oh, that's right, your anti-Uchiha and you don't get out much. I don't understand you at all Sakura. How can you resist the image of him? I heard that you could get lost in his dark eyes-"

'_Sort of true I guess…'_ Sakura thought, feeling her cheeks burn as she remembered those smoldering eyes just moments ago.

"-And his face is to DIE FOR-"

'_Well he IS handsome...' _Sakura agreed silently.

"-And I heard that his body could make you DROOL Sakura!" Ino exclaimed as she sat on the counter, fantasizing about him.

Sakura felt her cheeks burn a hot pink and a smile curling at her lips. She thanked Kami-sama Ino couldn't see. _'Not exactly drool, but it was nice. He's not a bad kisser either...'_

But of course she'd never tell Ino that or instant death would become her future. Today's events would be her secret and her secret only…

"What did you do while I was gone anyway, Sakura?" Ino asked, still sitting on the counter top; completely ignorant to what she had been actually doing.

"Nothing really. I got your pregnancy test." She replied rummaging through her pocket, pulling out a rectangular box and tossing it at her.

Ino blinked twice before laughing. "Oh Sakura, I wasn't ACTUALLY serious!"

This made her gawk at the blonde woman. "W-What? Then why'd you send me out to get one?" she demanded, outraged. All that dressing up for nothing…

Ino grinned. "You needed some fresh air to cool that big head of yours- but it looks like it didn't help much. Sakura, you need to get out more, if you did you'd know I'm _technically_ still a virgin!"

Sakura couldn't stop herself from throwing the now empty watering can at her friend and stifling a laugh when it whacked her right in the middle of her forehead. It then made her lose her balance and fall behind the counter.

"VERY FUNNY SAKURA!"

_'Maybe Uchiha Sasuke isn't as bad as I thought he was.' _Sakura decided thoughtfully. He wasn't stuck up or cruel like she had assumed. He was almost _interesting_ to her. But she shook him from her thoughts. Taking a liking to him was a stupid idea. He was a Lord, and she was a flower shop girl.

So she dismissed him from her thoughts, smiled a satisfied smile at the thought of nailing Ino with a water can, and went to help the blonde up. After all, if Ino hadn't sent her out to get "fresh air" she wouldn't have gotten to know Sasuke, the REAL Sasuke. And that was something to be thankful for.

'_I'm not so bitter anymore_…'

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As soon as Sasuke and Naruto entered the castle doors they were ambushed by Kaito in the middle of two other elders. The one on the left had silver hair tied back and wrinkles that made the creases in his face hide his eyes completely and the one on the right was old, but still had a little color left in his also tied back hair, but looked the most angry.

Neither Sasuke nor Naruto could tell if the deep creases at the corners of his mouth was a result of frowning or old age.

"And where have you two been?" boomed the elder on the right. Naruto took a step back. The cold eyes of the elder seemed to be fixed on him. "W-Well you see- uh…we…" Naruto stammered and gave Sasuke a helpless glance.

"We've been out." Sasuke answered calmly, not intimidated by the cranky elder's stare. He "Oh did you now? Word on the street is that Uzumaki made a scene, started a riot, and endangered Uchiha-sama's life-"

"Not by choice! How was I supposed to know Sasuke was this sex object to those woman!" Naruto protested.

The elder glared menacingly at him. "I think that a common peasant such as yourself should speak with more respect than that to an elder such as myself-"

"CHE! An old geezer like _you_ just needs to go and take your evening nap instead of blaming everything on me!" Naruto snapped back.

"What did you say you little-"

"Oi, Naruto. Don't cause problems." Sasuke said in his calm, emotionless tone. Naruto looked at him wildly. "B-But Sasuke-teme! That old geezer-"

"Just go." He interjected a little more coldly than he wanted. Naruto gave him a hurt, protestant look. "I'll put the old man to bed. Go on." Sasuke added, shooting him a cocky glance.

With a quick grin Naruto ran past the elders and up the spiral staircase, turning around to stick his tongue at the cranky elder before disappearing.

"Come with us, Uchiha-sama." Kaito told him calmly as they walked up the opposite staircase that Naruto took, down a long hallway, and through two large double doors. They entered a small conference room that boasted a window large enough to see the entire town below.

"Uchiha-sama, are you aware of the danger you placed yourself in by leaving the premises unattended?" asked the cranky elder as Sasuke sat down. Cold eyes watched him pace the room.

"I do not, but I'm aware of how ridiculous you sound." Sasuke answered coolly. He glanced at Kaito who was smiling with his eyes.

The cranky elder ignored the comment and went on. "You broke a rule of utmost importance, Uchiha-sama-"

"I broke no rules. Naruto was with me when we left. Is your common sense leaving you, elder?"

The quiet elder with the silver hair looked horrified, but the sides of Kaito's mouth seemed to turn up slightly. The angry elder grew angrier as his face turned a shade of purple.

"**Naruto **hardly serves as a royal guard, Uchiha-sama which left you unprotected. What would've happened if you were seriously hurt?"

"Saito-san, your blood pressure!" squeaked the quiet elder. Kaito kept silent. Saito ignored him and stared down at Sasuke; a cheap attempt to intimidate him.

Sasuke kept a stoic expression yet his eyes danced darkly. "Are you implementing that I, the Lord of Konoha, cannot defend myself?" he asked.

As Sasuke stared back, Saito appeared to becoming intimidated. The purple in his face began to fade away. "O-Of course not Uchiha-sama but that peasant-"

"Are you insulting my **personal **choice of protection, Saito?" Sasuke asked the old man as onyx eyes grew darker, colder. Saito's expression began to show fear. Despite his position as an elder, a royally pissed Uchiha could cost him his position as well as his life.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Uchiha-sama!"

"Uchiha-sama, Milord, I'm sure that Saito-san meant no disrespect." Kaito told him with a sparkle in his eye. He had taught Sasuke personally how to sound intimidating.

"I-I agree completely! Saito-san's way of protection means bodyguards, spies, maybe even a doctor to protect you. He was unaware that Naruto-san was Uchiha-sama's personal choice of protection."

"His ignorance and disrespect towards Naruto is unacceptable. I would like to speak to Kaito alone about this matter." Sasuke answered, turning his cold eyes to the quieter elder who took one look at them and decided to stare at the table.

"B-But Uchiha-sama-"Saito started to protest. Kaito was the high elder. Any matter that came to Sasuke's attention would be discussed with him.

Which, in layman's terms, meant Saito could be in deep shit.

"**Leave**." Sasuke growled and stood up. Within seconds the elders were gone, shutting the door on their way out.

Sasuke sighed and walked over to the window so he could sit on the ledge. "I'm impressed Uchiha-sama-" Kaito began.

"Cut the act Kaito. They're gone." Sasuke ordered. Kaito gave a small smile. "Don't be so angry with me, Sasuke. You know it's my duty to worry about you."

He glared at him. "Che. You should've just handled it." Meetings like these always got him in a bad mood.

"I understand you're mad, Sasuke, but leaving with just Naruto without informing anyone is a serious offense. If I didn't inform the elders, Saito would've sent out the entire army. He assumed you were kidnapped."

Sasuke was half tempted to smile at Kaito's comment of him being kidnapped, but decided he was in too much of a bad mood to do so. "If he lays a finger on Naruto-"

Kaito smiled. Sasuke was very protective of his foolish friend. "He will not be punished because he was your 'personally chosen bodyguard'. His lack of restraint is worthy of praise." Kaito paused to smile wider. "You're intimidating when you stand up to him, Sasuke-sama."

Sasuke turned towards the window at the added suffix. "Che."

He didn't need to "stand up to him". He was the Lord and could do and talk as he pleased. Naruto was just stupid enough to retort when insulted regardless of his status.

"What exactly did you two while you were out anyway?" Kaito asked curiously.

"What purpose would that serve if it was but a one time rendezvous, **elder**?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at him. Kaito expected him to tell he had done all day after 2 **years** of being trapped?

Kaito sighed but kept a cheerful look. He knew what Sasuke wanted. "I suppose if you've finished all your daily paperwork and/or meetings then you'll be allowed to see your kingdom. Now will you tell me as your _caregiver _what you were up to?"

"We were chased through town. I was saved by being kidnapped, Naruto was not." Sasuke replied. Kaito peered at him curiously. "By whom?"

"A girl with pink hair."

"Be sure to thank your captor." He answered, amused by his story. A smirk curled at Sasuke's lips. "Are you going to alert the entire counsel of my kidnapping?" he mocked.

The elder shook his head and smiled. "You're the Lord, not a child. If you wish to bring this into the light of the counsel, it will not be done by me. However I do suggest wearing a disguise to avoid unnecessary commotion next time."

"Che." Sasuke turned away from Kaito for a minute to smile to himself. He couldn't exactly promise that he wouldn't allow himself to be 'kidnapped' again. He had enjoyed his time with  
captor".

He could still feel the gentleness in her kiss as she pressed against him, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms intoxicating him in the process. He had to know more about this mysterious girl, and he could, easily.

"Kaito, what have you heard about Haruno Sakura?" he asked, surprising him. "Haruno Sakura? A woman?"

"Have you heard anything about her?" Sasuke asked again, more impatiently this time."I supposed I've heard the name Haruno before. I'll check her background. What made you suddenly take interest in this woman?"

"Not **interest**." He snapped. "She has a dream. It intrigues me."

Kaito gave him a toothy smile. _'Intrigued? Perh_aps he will be intrigued enough to have her as his bride?_' _He thought to himself. "It'll be my pleasure to find out more of this…Haruno Sakura."

"Find more on medicinal herbs as well."

Puzzled but deciding by the look on Sasuke's face that said he wasn't going to elaborate, he nodded once more. "I'd be happy to." He answered, but paused to give a crinkled smile. "I'm glad Sasuke-san enjoyed himself today."

A small smile crossed his lips as Kaito exited the room. The old man who had raised him was useful and was remarkably bright for his old age. When counted on to find information, Kaito would devote his time in the large hall of records or the library; said to be the best in the world. The elder often returned with remarkable results.

Sakura would be pleased to hear of what Uchiha-sama himself was doing for her. Sasuke stared at his reflection in the large window in bewilderment. What had this woman done to him? His heart would beat faster at the thought of her face, the feel of her lips…he was even finding ways to _please _her.

He shook her from his thoughts. He had no business thinking of a flower girl in such ways and decided he would preoccupy himself by finding Naruto. The blonde would bombard him with questions about his conversation with the elders.

But the raven haired Lord could feel an incessant feeling of anxiety fueled by the desire to known more about Sakura,

Could it be, that he, Uchiha Sasuke was falling for this mysterious girl?

'_Of course not.' _and walked out of the room, subconsciously touching his lips.

**End.**

**Whoo I'm excited I have 461 hits and 11 reviews! I know that isn't exactly a lot compared to some other authors, but I'm happy :). I want to get a least 7 more reviews before I upload Ch. 4. So make sure you read AND review. O.o makes me feel like my material is worth reading!**

**I re-edited this ch****apter a lot for those readers returning to re-read this, can YOU spot the differences? ;)**

**Until Next Time!**

**xXasuka-chanXx**


	4. Sakura's Past

**A/N: I'm really really happy about how many reviews I got for ch. 3! I got ****19**** reviews which was seven…eight nine… 12 more reviews than I had requested :D! So to show my gratitude to all these AMAZING people here are the names of all my ch. 3 reader/reviewers along with 2 people that stuck by me in both Will You Let Me Go, Sakura? And I Just Can't Let You Go, Sasuke! **

**another-dreamer282**

**Kuroshixx**

**karei uchiha**

**Namine-sama**

**Lioness Of the fire**

**bloodlust bitch**

**Aiyo Rei**

**Puppyeye1**

**Kakashi500 (My diligent reader T.T I'm really thankful to this one!)**

**Animefreek23**

**silentscream16**

**passion244 (My other diligent reader T.T thanks so much!)**

**fleeting thought**

**benswife**

**danielie**

**lacusclien4**

**cherryfire48**

**siny**

**blossoms14**

**I'll be happy to put your name up for the following chapter, but you got to do me a favor and read and REVIEW/COMMENT!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in Naruto. But I love toying with their lives. Muahaha.**

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"GWAHAHAHAHA!" Naruto roared with laughter as Sasuke filled him in with his encounter with Saito.

Sasuke put a hand up to best friend's mouth. "Quiet, dobe. All of Konoha will to hear you." He snapped. After all, the two were obnoxiously sitting on top of the narrow ledge on the roof of the castle.

"Gomen, Sasuke-teme but it's just so funny! Who knew that you were so good at being a coldhearted bastard-I mean making Saito run scared with his tails between his legs!" Naruto corrected himself as he glanced at Sasuke's eyes staring murderously at him. He had to consider his best friend's temper and the fact that they were more than 50 feet off the ground.

Sasuke looked up at the starry night sky and let out a puff of air as he let the soft breeze play through his raven hair.

"Ne, Sasuke, why are you so quiet…well- quieter than usual?" Naruto asked him curiously. Sasuke kept silent.

That's when a sly smirk crossed the blonde's lips.

"Ohh! I know why you're so quiet!" Naruto sang. This made Sasuke look at him with a brow raised slightly. Naruto's smirk turned into a grin which made his face shine in the light of the moon.

"You're thinking about that cutie from the flower shop, Sakura-chan!"

"…" Sasuke kept quiet and closed his eyes as he felt his cheeks burn a light pink. When Naruto made an excited sound he felt it turn into a burning cherry red. "I **AM** RIGHT!"

"I don't know what you're talking about dobe."

"Of course you do! You're as red as a tomato!"

"I don't blush, dobe."

"Don't lie Sasuke-teme! Ohh, I know why you're blushing… YOU LIKE HER!" Naruto chimed loudly.

"Q-Quiet dobe. You're going to wake the entire nation-"

"Don't change the subject teme! I KNEW this day would come!" Naruto jumped up, catching himself before he lost his balance and tumbled off the roof, and started to dance happily.

Sasuke ran a hand through his spiky, raven hair and sighed. It was times like this when he had to wonder what he ever saw in Naruto and how the hell he became his best friend.

"I know what you should do tomorrow, teme! You should go see her!"

"I don't know her. Or did you forget that too, dobe?" Sasuke shot back coldly. But his cold words didn't make Naruto's Cheshire cat grin falter even a little bit.

Naruto continued to dance around as he spoke. "That's why you should go see her, so you GET to know her!"

"She has to work. She'll be busy."

"Then buy flowers from her, say it's for a friend! That's an excuse to see her!"

"That's stupid. Then again I don't expect much from an idiot like you."

"Come on, teme! Don't be chicken, be a man! Show the world that you, Uchiha Sasuke, are no longer gay!" Naruto told him triumphantly as he put his hands on his hips and raised his chin.

The young lord looked at him strangely and reminded himself to tell the cook Naruto could no longer have 10 bowls of ramen before bed. "I was never gay Naruto-"

"You should really consider going to see Sakura-chan, teme!" Naruto told him, with a grin still on his face and seeming to not hear him. "I mean she's a pretty girl, any guy could snatch her up once they see YOU'RE interested in her! I mean you'd be one lucky ba-"

"**Sit down Naruto.**" Sasuke nearly barked out the command. This made the blonde stop dancing and sit obediently in front of him. "One: I never said I liked Sakura_ And I would never admit it to you, _dobe. Two: I **will not** buy flowers from her to get an excuse to see her _I don't need a petty excuse to go see a woman. I'm Uchiha Sasuke damnit! _And three: You dance like that **one more time** and you're happy ass is going right off the roof. Understood?"

The blonde's eyes widened and he shook his head, tuning into that last part about happy asses and being thrown off roofs.

"One other thing," Sasuke started to add, making his friend look up and eye size decrease. "What do you mean by 'any guy could snatch her up once they see I'm interested in her'?"

Naruto's sly smirk returned. He knew Sasuke was in denial. But then again, this made things all more interesting. He had never once seen him look at a girl twice or mention even his mother's name once, and he had been living with Sasuke for as long as he could remember.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't, if you know what I mean-"

In seconds, Naruto found himself dangling over the side of the roof, and Sasuke holding his ankle, threatening to drop him.

"WH-WHAAA! SASUKE-TEME YOU'RE A CRUEL LORD!" Naruto howled as Sasuke let him dangle around. He stared darkly at him. "**Explain. Now.**"

'_Well at least I know that he's interested if he cares THAT much about her being a virgin or not.' _Naruto thought closing his eyes. He knew Sasuke better than anyone and knew that once he was pissed, he could do anything. Even if that meant throwing his friend off a 50 foot roof, head first. Sasuke was a very scary man.

"A-ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! NOW LET ME UP ALREADY!"

With a jerk, Sasuke pulled him up. Naruto stayed flat on his stomach, hugging the roof. _'I will never, ever EVER bungee jump in my entire life…'_ he thought to himself as comical tears rolled down his cheeks . "Now explain." Sasuke barked.

Naruto looked up at him with a hurt expression. "I was only kidding about that, Sasuke-teme! Jeez, you can't even take a joke…you should really treat your best friend better…"but Naruto stopped when he met the cold obsidian eyes that threatened to throw him off the roof again if he didn't watch his mouth.

"But I do know a little about Sakura-chan…" the blonde hid a smile as he looked away from Sasuke. He could tell that his eyes were screaming for him to elaborate.

"If you promise not to try to throw me off the roof again, I'll tell you what I know-"

"Fine. Now explain." Sasuke demanded, interjecting swiftly. He smirked. Sasuke didn't realize that he was making it obvious that he liked her by wanting to more about her.

"I haven't heard much, but I know that she doesn't get out much and doesn't have a lot of friends because she keeps to herself. No one really knows what she likes, but rumor has it she hates men. She lives with her best friend who's loud, obnoxious and blonde…she's one of your biggest fans too-"

"She sounds like you." Sasuke admitted aloud. Naruto gaped at him. "I am not a fan girl teme! Now unless you want me to climb off this roof shut your trap and listen!"

"Yeah, yeah. Go on." Sasuke replied, and dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Naruto shot him a glare before continuing. "Her name's Ino. She must be the real owner of the flower shop since it's called the Yamanaka Flower Shop and Sakura-chan's last name is Haruno."

"What about their parents?"

"Hmm…I heard that Ino's parents retired and moved away, so they gave her the flower shop. I donno about Sakura-chan. Like I said, she doesn't get out much or talk to anyone. Which is exactly why you should see her tomorrow, teme! She's probably lonely, having no one to talk to."

"…I'll consider it." Sasuke replied and stood up. It was starting to get late after all. Naruto grinned so wide, Sasuke thought his jaw would break as he jumped up. "I knew you'd give in! Now, we can work on creating a disguise for you! I bet one of the elders like Saito has a wig you could borrow!"

"Hn." He replied uneventfully, yet in the pit of his stomach, anxiety was starting to rise. Sasuke was eager to see Sakura again, though he would never admit it. He let his mind wander as Naruto rambled on about something to do with getting ramen and talking to Kaito to get more information on Sakura.

Little did Naruto know that Sasuke had already asked Kaito to get information on the pink haired girl as well as medicinal herbs. It would give him something to approach her (and was hell of a lot better than buying flowers for a person that didn't even exist). Roses never appealed to him anyways. They were thorny and died too soon, not his idea of a gift-giver.

The only "flower" he was interested in at the moment had pink hair and innocent jade orbs, and her name was Haruno Sakura.

**A/N: I w****as originally going to cut the chapter here, but decided to add a little more. Short chapters aren't my style. **

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"_Daddy! Daddy are you leaving again? When will you come back?" cried a tiny girl with short, light pink hair as she threw the blue ball she was holding and ran over to a tall man. She tugged at his pant leg as he opened the door. _

_He paused to look down at the tiny girl. Innocent, ignorant, happy jade orbs met cold ones before he bent down and to p_at the girl's head. He then turned his back on her and took his leave without a word.

Sakura jolted up from her bed, breathing heavily. Sweat covered her brows, and a pale, shaking hand went through her pink hair.

"Sakura, are you ok?" Ino asked as she hurried into the room and sat next to her on her bed. "I heard you practically screaming 'don't leave' over and over…"

She didn't answer her as she stared at her blonde friend still shaking hands. "T-Those eyes…those eyes…" she started to murmur when she found her voice.

When the shaking started to get worse Ino grabbed her friend's wrists. "You…had one of **those** nightmares again, didn't you?" she asked softly.

Almost every day for years, Sakura had had the same nightmare and every time, Ino stayed with her; sometimes waking her up because she was screaming loud enough for the neighbors to hear through closed windows and doors. Occasionally, Ino was forced to hold her wrists to keep her from digging her nails into her skin, so there wouldn't be a pool of blood on either side of her bed.

"Sakura…I-"Ino started as the horror-stricken girl started to cry. Tears fell from her clouded eyes and onto her covers. This was another side effect of the shock she received from her nightmares. Sakura would completely lose sight of reality, staying in a catatonic state for what seemed like hours at a time.

Then, sometimes, fear would strike her eyes, as if she were re-living a bad memory from her past, cry out loudly, and then pass out as if all energy had left her body at once.

Ino had to bite her lip from crying when Sakura got like this. She was getting worse with each passing day, breaking her piece by piece. _'Kami-sama, please help Sakura…send anyone, __**anyone**__ to help her…' _she prayed as she clutched her friend's hand tightly.

As she prayed, someone entered the shop and the bell on top of the door jingled softly, but loud enough for them to hear it.

"Hold on Sakura…I'll be right back. Just a minute!" Ino chimed, forcing herself to sound cheerful as she hurried out of the room.

Sasuke sighed as they waited for someone to come out of the backroom. He had been forced to dress up in a ridiculous red-orange haired wig and one of his servant's clothes to disguise his self. Naruto had combed his hair so he couldn't be really recognized by spectators.

"This is stupid, Naruto-" Sasuke snapped in irritation. Naruto hit him on the back. "Don't get cold feet now, teme! Just follow my lead-er Hello! You must be Ino-san…" Naruto started to say, greeting Ino as she walked in from the back room.

Sasuke tuned them out and looked at the wood floor. He knew he shouldn't be here. From what he had found out by what little Kaito had found on record about the Haruno's he knew he didn't deserve to ever talk to her again. But Naruto, regardless of what he told him, forced him to bring the file on medicinal herbs and disguise so they wouldn't be torn apart by fan girls. But even in disguise Sasuke clearly explained he would rather face the fan girls than the tragedy of the Haruno family...

"_Sasuke, I found a small file on the Haruno family and a bigger file on medicinal herbs as you requested." Kaito had told him as he entered his office. Sasuke looked up from his paper work and shoved it aside, eager to see what he had found._

"_Show them to me." He told him, but looked at him curiously. Kaito did not look his cheery self. In fact, he looked drained of color, maybe even gray. Slowly, he moved over to his desk and set down the papers._

_Sasuke looked through the file but found it was only a small piece of paper that read: Haruno Hidaeki- whereabouts unknown, Haruno Sachiko- deceased, and Haruno Sakura- living._

"_Kaito…what the hell is this?" Sasuke demanded, meeting the man's eyes. Kaito's looked down at his hands and moved over to the large window of Sasuke's office._

"_There isn't anything on file because I wanted their tragic story to be left buried with Sachiko, as she had wished."_

"_Explain, Kaito." Sasuke told him imp__atiently_. _as he leaned back in his chair. What had happened with Sakura's family?"_

"_I will tell you everything I know about the Haruno family. Haruno Hideaki was from the Rain Village, and was put in my care here in Konoha when his parents were killed in the war. Your grandfather was the ruling lord and your father was still a young child. In fact, when your grandfather was busy ruling, I also took care of him. He was a lonely child, so I introduced him to Hideaki, who was perhaps the same age as he. They immediately became best of friends and demanded to go to school together. The two were inseparable- until of course your father met the love of his life; your mother." Kaito paused, hesitating._

_Sasuke peered at him from behind his raven locks. So his father and Sakura's father were childhood friends. There was nothing secret in that. "Go on, Kaito." Sasuke said firmly, breaking the silence._

"_Gomen na sai, Sasuke." He apologized and continued. "Hideaki felt as though he was losing his best friend once your parents got engaged. That's when he met Sachiko, one of your mother's friends. A little after your parents were married, your mother became pregnant with Ita-I mean you're brother. Sachiko became pregnant as well, but the two were having a child out of wedlock. After your brother was born Sachiko miscarried. Grief and despair clouded their lives and they constantly bickered, all but contributing to her fleeting health. But Sachiko became pregnant with another child, whom they named Sakura. They were thrilled, but Sachiko grew sicker each day We all knew that Sachiko wasn't healthy enough to bear children, but I believe that even though having Sakura could've very well killed her, she did it because she deeply loved Hideaki."_

_Kaito paused again, and put a fist up to the glass. Onyx eyes studied the man, understanding the direction the story was beginning to turn. _

"_ Hideaki then would disappear for days, even weeks at a time, not telling his wife his intentions or when he'd be back. She started to refuse food and was eventually left bed ridden. A month later she fell terminally ill. No one seemed to know what was wrong with her, but it's rumored that she has diagnosed with an illness that would've killed her at a young age. She probably held on for the sake of love and her daughter. She deserved a good life, but instead died of a broken heart. Hideaki wasn't even there for her when she was on her death bed. I believe he had heard the news and left without a word to his daughter. She was put into the care of the Yamanaka's after that. The women in that family must've suffered so much…Sachiko had been abandoned by her friends, family, and even village since they had a child out of marriage. Sakura must have deep scars; she lost both her parents and was treated differently by the village all because she was an illegitimate child."_

_Sasuke felt his heart cringe and was speechless. He would've never thought twice that Sakura had had such a hard life. That explained why she hadn't gone out much or had many close friends. She was a flower that had been stepped on for most of her life, and had very few petals left._

_But that didn't explain why his father, Fugaku, couldn't help them._

"_Why- didn't my father-"_

"_Help? Even that answer is beyond me, Sasuke. Perhaps he had gotten preoccupied with his own family and keeping order in his kingdom to see what was going on-"_

"_He was aware of what was going on, how much they suffered...but chose to ignore it…? And you say that he abandoned his best friend because he was 'preoccupied'? What kind of man was my father?" Sasuke asked him coldly. _

_He was devastated. How could the man he looked up to as a model father be so heartless?_

"_Sasuke, your father was a great man!" Kaito protested. "He would never ignore his best friend! He was an Uchiha; loyalty flowed through his veins-!"_

"_How troublesome it would be for his image; supporting the family with an illegitimate child. Heartless…just like Itach-"_

"_Don't assume such things, Sasuke! Only he knows the real reason, but that won't help us now, will it? Sakura's suffered, her mother died, and Hideaki could possibly be out there alive somewhere."_

"_He abandoned his family, just like my father did to him…" _

_What the hell was wrong with his father's generation? Was it that easy to turn away from those who needed you back then?_

"_Don't put your heart into one accusation. You forget that your mother had been getting sick as well. How could he attend to another's family when he couldn't attend to his own?" Kaito defended. _

_Sasuke sighed inwardly. 'No wonder Sakura hates men.' He thought bitterly. She had every right after to; the memories of the only man in her and her mother's life abandoned them, and left them for dead. Had she not been placed in the Yamanaka's care she would've ended up like her mother..._

"Err…hey? Snap out of it….HEY!" Naruto yelled as he snapped his fingers in front of his face. Sasuke looked up to see a blue-eyed girl staring at him strangely. Naruto was standing on his right, looking at him in bewilderment.

"Where'd you go? La-La Land? Don't do that Sa-er..Sousuke." Naruto corrected himself, grinning happily at the name he had just created.

'_Such creativity_…' Sasuke thought as he rolled his eyes.

"It's really great that you guys came to see Sakura, but I can't allow you to see her right now." Ino told them politely. Her eyes seemed to sadden as she said her name. Was there something wrong with Sakura?

"WHAT! Why not?" Naruto demanded loudly. He wasn't exactly one to take rejection lightly. "Err…well, she's-"

"It can't be helped." Sasuke mumbled and pushed passed her. Ino looked outraged and blinked twice. Never in her life had she ever been interrupted so rudely or shoved aside.

The blondes followed him into the back room. He could tell that Ino was wondering how he know where Sakura's room was and watched him walk in without a second thought. Naruto followed in after him and nearly ran into him.

"Sousuke what the fu-" Naruto's voice trailed off when he noticed Sasuke's horrified expression. His eyes flickered to Sakura who was sitting upright in her bed. The covers still covered lower half and her head drooped lifelessly. Pink hair hid her face, but could not hide the sickly pale color her skin had.

But it wasn't a sight that would horrify Sasuke, who had seen much worse in his life time. Naruto didn't seem to understand.

Slowly, he watched as Sasuke sat on her bed, and lifted her face while his own scrunched up as if he were in pain.

He looked into her eyes, and his heart nearly fell to pieces. The innocent and glowing eyes he had seen just the day before were clouded, glazed over, as if lost somewhere. She was shaking in his hands, and cold tears were streaming down from her face.

It was there; visible in her eyes, that Sakura was re-living a memory from her past. And by the look in the dark jade orbs, it wasn't a happy memory.

"W-What's wrong with her?" Naruto asked Ino in a small, worried voice.

"Sakura's had….a rough life. That's why she doesn't get out much. She feels like people are staring at her, laughing at her. She has…these _nightmares _ every night. Sometimes they shake her up so bad she goes catatonic and I can't reach her… She's never told me what they were about though…just bits and pieces like 'those eyes' or '**He** was there'."

"Nothing will wake her up?" Sasuke asked suddenly, lifting Sakura's chin higher and looking into her eyes again. Why couldn't they see what he saw when he looked at her in this state? She was in pain; pain that practically screamed from her lifeless eyes.

"Hold her hands down." Sasuke told them without taking his eyes off of Sakura.

"W-What? You push me aside and barge your way into my friend's room and now you want me to hold her down? What kinda-"

"**Just do it.**" He commanded in all seriousness. As he took his eyes off of her to glare murderously at her. Ino shivered and hurried over to Sakura's left arm, Naruto went to her right.

"Hold her tight." Sasuke told her firmly. Ino glared, but Naruto gave her a sympathetic glance. "It's better to just do as he says. Things go smoother that way." He explained to Ino who was in the middle of grumbling to herself.

As they tightened their grip on her wrists, Sasuke took a deep breath and put his left hand on her chin. What was he going to do? Anticipation filled the air as they stared at Sasuke intently while thousands of possibilities were going through her head.

'_Who the hell is this guy? What is he going to do to Sakura? Kiss her? Touch her? Whisper some magic word to her and make her snap out of it? UGH IT'SDRIVING ME NUTS! I bet he barely even knows her! If he kisses her, me and Sakura __are gonna_ _have a serious talk about seeing assholes_!_'_

Naruto was probably more anxious than Ino was because he was practically screaming at him with his eyes. _'ON WITH IT SASUKE!'_ the pools of blue screamed.

Sasuke shot quick glare at him and slowly moved his right hand up.

That's when he did the most unexpected. So unexpected, Ino and Naruto gawked at him, jaws dropped with horror-stricken eyes. It wasn't a romantic kiss bringing life back to her, nor was it a soft whisper in her ear that would make her snap out of it. No, it was vicious, merciless, and done without hesitation.

Uchiha Sasuke had just slapped Sakura.

**TBC**

**I know that was one of the crappiest ways to end a chapter and I'm SOOOOOO sorry that I didn't get this uploaded sooner, but I've been really preoccupied lately and I haven't been able to focus… :( ****I DO NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM approve of abuse by the w****ay**!**!**

**I'd like to ****add that before editing this, Sakura's birth was inaccurate because she was born in March and Sasuke in July meaning she's **_**older**_**.**

**Now then, besides Hinata, what characters do you want to show up in the story next?**

**Shikamaru**

**Kiba/Akamaru**

**Neji**

**Tenten**

**Lee**

**Sai (Manga-Readers/Watchers who've watched around Shippuden episode 37 know who this is)**

**Shino**

**The Sabaku (Sand) Siblings (those who still don't know, Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro)**

**Chouji**

**:D Kakashi for sure will be added into later chapters, and Gai will probably make a comic appearance too, so look out for them ;). **

**Make sure you read and REVIEW/COMMENT! It's very much appreciated. **

**xxasukachanxx**


	5. An Offer You Can't Resist

**Well I'm back with another chapter! I got 8 new reviews this time :P I'm really happy at how this is turning out, and I appreciate EVERY SINGLE REVIEW I GET!**

**ALSO! **

**Check my profile for a new announcement that pertains to Rose Ch. 6. Just click on my name and you'll be at my site **

**Special Thanks to My First 8 Reviewers: **

**passion244-****I'd also like to say that I DEFINITELY included you in my thanks last time. Just look hard. Your name's there. I double-checked.**

**blossoms14**

**lacusclien4**

**ramenlova610**

**velcroSUNSHINE**

**ITACHI'SGuRL14**

**Lioness of Fire**

**Kakashi500**

**Special SPECIALThanks: **

**passion244 & Kakashi500- these two have been here reading and commenting ever since I started T.T if not for them I prolly would've stopped writing. So I'm extremely greatful!**

**ramenlova610- ramen's the very first person to give me an idea in my story AND write me an extremely rambling comment that made me laugh till I cried. Ramen really reminds me of my friends sometimes. I don't know if you're a guy or girl or what you're really interested in but I feel close to my readers with reviews like these.**

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"_Ka-sama…when is daddy coming home?" asked a small voice belonging to a little girl with long pink hair tied back in a red bow as she sat next to a woman with a sickly pale complexion. The sickly woman however was still very beautiful with long hair a color that was a darker, rosier pink and brown eyes. _

_She sat up from her bed and managed to give the girl a weak smile."Soon, Saku. Could…you get me an extra blanket? I feel a little chilly." she asked even though it was summer and a hot day. The girl got up and hurried to get one with a small nod._

"_You're such a good girl, Saku. I'm sorry for giving you so much trouble. You could be playing outside with your friend Ino but instead you're stuck in here taking care of me." The woman told her guiltily as she returned covered her carefully._

_Saku shook her head. "I don't mind. Daddy's been gone for awhile now…almost 2 weeks. He must be super busy, so he can't take care of you. That's why I got to be strong, and a good girl, till Daddy comes back. Then he'll be proud of me! Ne, Ka-sama?"_

_The woman looked at down for a second, sadness filling her brown eyes before she looked up with a smile. "Aah."_

"_And…when he returns we can be a family again-"_

"_Saku…could…you smile for me?" her mother asked quietly. Saku looked up and blinked twice, puzzled by this request, but then gave her the biggest smile she could manage. The woman laughed and ruffled her daughter's hair._

"_That smile never fails to make me feel better…do you know why Saku?"_

_Innocently, she shook her head. "Is it because it reminds you of Daddy?" _

_Her mother laughed again. "A little bit, but no. It shows me that you'll grow up to be a beautiful woman, with a kind and innocent smile. You have the power to bring happiness, Saku."_

"_Eh? How can I do that, Ka-sama?" Saku asked curiously. "It's because of those eyes, Saku. Such uniquely bright green eyes…your father had those very same ones…Promise me that you won't let that gleam in your eyes die no matter what. Promise?"_

_Saku blinked twice again before smiling even wider and laughing. "I promise Ka-sama!"_

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The strike that Sasuke had just delivered to Sakura rang through the room, bringing silence like a coin dropping in a silent classroom, or the calmness before a storm.

At first her head stayed drooped to its side, pink hair splayed across her face. But she remained motionless.

_What's…this sudden pain…? Why….does my cheek…?_

"WHAT THE FUCK? DID YOU JUST SLAP HER?"

'_Ino's…yelling…?'_

Sakura slowly raised her head, her eyes becoming unglazed, and someone in front of her came into focus; a boy with red-orange hair and familiar obsidian eyes. Who was this boy?

That's when she felt the stinging sensation on her left cheek, and the realization of what had just happened came to her.

This boy had just slapped her.

He leaned back as she shouted words that should never be repeated and thrashed around; trying to return the slap he had just given her. If not more.

But what irked herthe most was the stoic expression that remained on his face despite what was going on.

Ino and Naruto were even more horrified at the strength Sakura was trying to release. It was taking every ounce of muscle they had to hold her back.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! JUST WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO SLAP ME LIKE THAT? AS SOON AS I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-LEGGO OF ME! #$&&$$&$#&$#-"

Then, she suddenly fell limp. Puzzled, they turned to Sasuke who still had a calm expression on his face, but his hand was against her neck. From Naruto's side, he could see that Sasuke had his middle and index finger pressed against her neck.

As he saw this, Naruto released her and stood up with a sigh. "Jeez, Sa-err-Sousuke…did you really have to hit her?"

"What else could I have done?"

"NOT THAT?"

Sasuke got up and 'Hned'. Ino stared at the two. _'Who the hell w__as__ this guy? First he barges into Sakura's room, gets on her bed, SLAPS her, and then makes her fall limp like a noodle! He's NUTS!'_

"It was the only way to wake her up."

"Like you KNOW?" Ino demanded. Onyx eyes flickered to her but remained without emotion. "Aah."

Naruto looked at Ino's expression and walked over to her so he could put a hand on her shoulder so she couldn't get up and attack him. It's not like she knew Sasuke had nightmares like Sakura did. It was harsh, but it worked.

"Well whoever did that to you was sick! Who-"

"Ino-san, Sousuke knows what he's doing. He didn't kill her or anything, just knocked her out. You saw how crazy she looked when she realized she got slapped-"

"He shouldn't have **slapped** her in the first place! What gives you any right to hit a girl like that you bastard-"

"Could you give us a minute?" Sasuke interjected quietly as continued to look at the girl, who had fallen back onto her pillow. Her left cheek was still slightly pink from the slap, and her face still showed pain from whatever she had seen before Sasuke awoke her from the catatonic state

"Why should I leave her with a whack job like you? Next you might try to rape her in her sleep you son of a-"

"She should be conscious soon." Sasuke replied, turning to Naruto who sighed and pulled Ino up. "Come with me, Ino-san," Naruto told her as he dragged her away. But paused to whisper to her. "I think he's gay, so he won't try anything. Don't worry about Sakura-chan."

When Sasuke heard the door close behind them he moved to sit beside her on the bed. His finger curled around a pink. '_Nothing could ever close the wounds that have scarred your heart, ne Sakura?' _he thought before running his hand over the cheek he had just moments ago slapped.

Suddenly, her still pale hand jolted up and wrapped around his wrist. "Who are you, and what do you want from me?" she asked, her eyes were still closed and her grip was slowly tightening.

"Calm down, Sakura. I just want to talk."

She snorted but kept her eyes closed. "Really? You **hit **me, touch some spot on my neck and get me alone just to **talk** to me? That's rich, you even know my name. Have you been **stalking **me?"

"Don't you recognize my voice?" Sasuke asked calmly, as he studied her face. She flinched for a second but said nothing. Slowly, he pulled the wig off his head and set it down on the bed.

"Open your eyes, Sakura."

Slowly, she opened her jade eyes to stare at dark obsidian ones before sitting up. A small smile curled at her lips. "I knew I saw those eyes before. We meet again."

He smirked and expected her to greet him warmly, but instead shock followed pain as she viciously returned the slap she had received before.

"I know **exactly** who you are, if you think you didn't deserve that you have another thing coming, Uchiha Sasuke."

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As he pulled his hand out of her grasp Sasuke put a hand to his cheek and smirked a little wider. Sakura's slap burned painfully into his skin. This was the first time he had been slapped by a woman.

"Hurts doesn't it! Why did you slap me anyway?" Sakura asked, slight hints of murder were still visible in her jade orbs.

"I did it to wake you up. You were in a catatonic state Ino couldn't bring you out of. She told me it's a reoccurring problem."

Sakura's expression didn't soften, but her eyes did. "Ino wouldn't have let you see me like this. What did you do, push her out of the way and barge into my room?"

Sasuke said nothing but his eyes flickered with amusement. She snapped her head away from him. "You're a real asshole, Sasuke." She peered at him from the corner of her eye.  
What do you want anyway?"

"I told you that I wanted to talk to you." Sasuke replied plainly. "Well I don't want to talk to you!" Sakura told him as she crossed her arms, sounding childish. She slouched slightly. "Why didn't you tell me who you were from the beginning?"

"You didn't ask. What difference would it have made?" Sasuke asked, still slightly amused.

"A HUGE difference you asshole! I thought you were someone normal, someone I could easily-"

"Confide in?" he finished for her in a more quiet, tone. Jade orbs met obsidian ones once more. "You've been alone you're entire life. You stay in this place because you fear what the villagers think of you."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "How-"

"Did I know?" Sasuke asked, finishing her sentence again, holding back a smirk as she gave him an annoyed glare.

"I know more than you think, Sakura. I have access to all the information in the world."

She fell silent before chuckling bitterly and left her bed to open the window and lean on the window sill. As a breeze danced through her hair she spoke. "No one in this living world even comes close to understanding me, Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke moved over to the window and leaned next to her. "_I_ understand you." This made Sakura laugh at him, scoffing. "How could you possibly say that so confidently?"

"Because I know what happened to your family. How you were abandoned-"

"You think knowing someone's past means you understand the person? It doesn't mean a damn thing." Sakura interjected coldly. Who the hell did he think he was; flaunting his knowledge of her so confidently?

Sasuke chuckled and Sakura glared, demanding an explanation with her eyes. "A person's past makes them who they are today. You're no exception."

"Humor me then, Uchiha." She challenged. "Who am I?"

Obsidian eyes studied her, nearly making her blush. "I see a small girl, trapped in the past, scared-"

"Scared? Ha! That's ridiculous! I'm not afraid of anything. I have no fears, Uchiha."

"You're afraid of letting anyone in. You believe that if you keep to yourself, shutting everyone else out, that no one can hurt you or leave you. Just like your mother and father did."

"That's not true…" Sakura started to say, but Sasuke went on, eyes still fixated on her, burning a hole into her heart.

"Deep down that girl wants to be loved but your wounds run deeper then what you let on."

"You're lying…"

"You hate men because of what happened to your father did to your mother."

"Y-You're crazy…"

"At night you a recurring nightmare. A painful one. It's eating away at you but you keep it to yourself because for whatever reason you're **scared**."

"S-SHUT UP!" Sakura screamed as she struck him again. Angry tears welted in her eyes once more, but deep down she knew he was right. "Reading me like I'm some specimen…**profiling **me! You don't have the right…"

"I don't need to have a right to confirm the truth, Sakura."

The pinkette moved away from him and lowered her eyes. Slowly, he walked over to the bed and waited for her to speak. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have slapped you but," she paused, searching for her words. "you struck a nerve I didn't want struck. How did you read me like that?"

"It's a bloodline trait. I inherited it from my father. Eyes reflect the depths of your heart." He explained

She fell silent before shaking her head. "My eyes, huh?" she mumbled under her breath. "You really are a different person, Sasuke. But did you really just come here to 'read' me?"

He shook his head, smirking. "I've come with an offer you can't refuse."

Sakura turned to look at him this time. "Oh? You came here to bribe me?"

Sasuke pulled out the file on medicinal herbs and kept a sly smirk on his face. "I have a very rare file on medicinal herbs and how to contact someone. A woman, Tsunade-"

Sakura gawked at him. "Y-You mean the greatest doctor in the WORLD Tsunade?"

"Aah. She's been trying to get her hands on this for years. If you give her the file in exchange for her knowledge she'll have no choice but to accept."

"G-Give it to me!" Sakura replied hurrying over to him and trying to snatch it from his grasp. His smirked remained plastered on his face as he went on. "There's a catch."

She stopped dead in her tracks "What is it?

"A game. Amuse me. Each of us will ask a few questions. If you tell me more information I don't already know, the file's yours.

"And if I lose?" Sakura asked cautiously. A mischievous gleam in his eyes appeared as he explained it to her. "If you lose, I'll rip up the file."

Sakura gawked at him. "Y-You're INSANE! Why would you want to rip up such a valuable file?"

He chuckled. "Because it doesn't interest me."

She gave an aggravated growl before sighing and putting her hands on her hips with a scowl. The odds were against her. He claimed to know "everything about her" after all. But it truly _was _an offer she couldn't refuse. "_Fine_. I'll play your silly little game."

"Then let the game begin." Sasuke answered as he moved over on the bed so she could sit across from him, the smirk on his face widening by the second. Then a smirk crossed her lips as well.

_There's no WAY I'm going to let this crazy son of a bitch win this. I'll kill him before I let that happen!_" She thought, determined.

It wasn't just a matter of obtaining a file. Oh no, this was the key to making her dreams of becoming a doctor a reality.

She just hoped she wasn't in out of her head.

**To be continued**

**A/N: I re****ally didn't like this chapter. I edited it a lot, mainly Sasuke's dialogue. It was too long for my liking. **

**Till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	6. Two New Characters Appear!

**Didn't upload at all last week I think. Sorry, a lots been on my mind. But special thanks to my reviewers from last week!**

**OsricPearl**

**Aiyo Rei**

**angel2559**

**Kakashi500**

**child of the starlight**

**cherryfire48**

**Kirei Cherry Blossom**

**xImCharmedx**

**passion244**

**Mizuki-Chann.**

**blossoms14**

**I admit that I did end up changing it around a little bit. The next chapter migghhhhtt shock you guys, but I think it adds a little more drama to the story ;)**

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Sakura stared into the sly raven-haired boy's eyes.

"You go first."

Sasuke smirked. "Confident?" he asked and watched her shake her head, a slyer smirk crossing her lips as well. "No, I'm just aware that I'm going to kick your sorry ass at your own game and get that file."

"We'll see, Sakura. Tell me about your father."

"That's not a question," Sakura snorted and swallowed awkwardly as she looked at her sheets. "That man is not my father. I don't have one. A real father wouldn't leave his wife and daughter for dead without a word-"

"-which left you as an orphan. Who was taken into the Yamanaka's household. You won't win this way, Sakura." Sasuke taunted. Sakura grew irritated. "Don't jynx yourself. Now it's my turn: how did you really get a hold of such a valuable file?"

Sasuke chuckled smugly. "I have access to the world's greatest hall of records and library. When Kaito's asked to find something there isn't anything I can't get my hands on."

"Sounds like everything you could ever want and then some…"Sakura murmured under her breath and clenched her fists. Life just wasn't fair. How could this spoiled rotten bastard have everything when she had nothing?

"Getting everything you want isn't always the greatest, Sakura. It makes life boring. Now tell me about your mother. What was she like? What was your favorite memory with her?" Sasuke asked, noticing her clenched fists.

"Why do you want to know so much about m-"

"Answer my question first." Sasuke interjected, hiding his smile as he visibly saw the annoyance in her eyes.

"I don't know what good it'll do you by knowing about her… my mother's **dead**. Why do-"

But Sakura was cut short as the two heard some commotion outside her room. Cautiously, Sasuke resumed his disguise and listened carefully. There were muffled yells, glass shattering, and a cry from Naruto as he rushed into the room and slammed the door, breathing heavily.

"That woman's insane! How can you stand to LIVE with her Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he fell to his sunk to the floor with his back still pressed against the door.

"LET ME IN! I'LL GET YOU, YOU BASTARD! NARRRRUUUUUTOOOOOO!" Ino screamed, beating on the opposite side of the door.

"What did you do, Naruto?" Sakura demanded as they both stared at him. "W-Well, she was complaining about Sous-"

"She knows, Naruto." Sasuke interjected as he took off his wig again. "Naruto turned sheepishly put an arm behind his head. "Right. Well, she was complaining 'bout Sasuke here and I started to tune out after 5 minutes thinking about how I could be doing better things than listening to this blonde rant on and on about-"

"Focus, dobe." Sasuke interjected, and glared at him. With a frown, Naruto got to the point. "I noticed her family's names hanging in a frame and…well…."

"You mentioned the meaning of her name, didn't you?" Sakura told him gravely as she put a hand over her face. _'Here we go again…'_ she thought with a mental sigh as the two men stared at her questioningly.

"How'd you know?"

"Trust me, I've been living with Ino my entire life, and she hates her name, since it means 'boar'. **(A/N: that's why in the anime Sakura would call her Ino-pig) **When someone other than me mentions the word 'pig' she throws a fit, as you can see."

"Well…what do we do now? I don't think this door can hold much longer!" Naruto asked fearfully as he heard the door threatening to crack with Ino's consistent punches. Sakura quickly moved over to the window and opened it.

"It's better that we leave until she cools off. Sasuke, put your wig on and let's go."

Without any questions, Sasuke quickly put on his wig and hopped off the bed, but Naruto didn't budge, still afraid of what would happened to the door once he moved away from it.

As Sasuke followed Sakura out of the window, she leaned against the frame. "Come on, Naruto that doors going to break any second, and unless you like finger prints on your neck and being half strangled half beaten to death I suggest you hurry up!"

"B-But-" Naruto protested, but decided it was best if he scurried to the window as quickly as possible as he heard a loud crack and a piece from the upper part of the door break off and whack his head.

Once Naruto leaped out of the window, Sakura shut the window and breathed in the crisp autumn air before grabbing their wrists and running down an alleyway connected to the back off the flower shop.

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They found themselves being led into a forest and being hidden in the shade of golden trees when Naruto started to feel uneasy. "Ne, Sakura-chan, why are you taking us so far into the forest?"

"Once Ino break's down my door, she's going to throw an even bigger fit when she doesn't find you. Knowing her, she might run into town screaming bloody murder trying to find you. That's why we're going so far into the forest; just in case she checks here. She wouldn't dare go this deep into the woods. Once, she got lost picking apples and ever since it's given her the creeps." Sakura explained without turning around.

"I'm guessing you this forest from experience?" Sasuke asked, studying her closely as they trailed behind her. It didn't seem as though she was absently leading them away from Ino's dangerous clutches. No, she had been on this trail before.

Sakura looked back to smile at them, meeting blue and obsidian eyes. "Aah. I used to come here when I was little. If you go far enough, you'll find that the ground runs down into a wide-open field. Around this time of year, everything turns yellow, and since it's still early in the day the grass should still be dewy-which gives the grass a wet look, and from high up the grass looks like a golden lake." She replied in an almost dreamy tone, as if she wasn't focusing on where she was going, but being lost in her memories.

And yet, she seemed to still know where she was going.

'_So this is where she went,' _Sasuke thought. _'when she needed to get away'_

This wasn't just any field, this was Sakura's whole world; her childhood.

"Show us it." Sasuke told her, breaking the silence. Sakura looked at him suspiciously, but sighed when she read his eyes. They didn't have a hidden reason or an impure thought behind them.

"Fine. I don't even know if its still-"but she fell silent and stopped dead in her tracks. Naruto bumped into her and grumbled about it being rude to suddenly stop without telling the people behind you when he realized what she were staring at.

They had reached the end of the forest, which was actually more like a hill, since it lead down, like Sakura had said, into a golden field that shone in the sunlight.

"Wow! Has this been here all this time?" Naruto exclaimed as he ran down into the field.

"I haven't been back here in a long time. I figure someone had already found it and turned it into a park or something…" Sakura spoke softly as she stared into the horizon, her eyes seemed hazed. Sasuke studied her carefully again. Though she didn't smile, her lips were creased upward, as if she were seeing more than just a bunch of gold grass and yellow leafed trees, but a happy memory from her past. When looking closer, Sasuke found that there seemed to be a certain twinkle in her jade orbs that could only be described as true happiness.

The raven-haired boy took his eyes of the pink-haired girl to the field and could almost see Sakura as a little girl, letting the soft grass brush against her creamy skin as she ran into the field, laughing and twirling around as she closed her eyes, letting go of reality completely.

Absently, Sakura walked slowly down the hill to the grass, running her fingers over the hall strands of golden which came up to her knees as she closed her eyes. She could almost hear the soft giggles of a small child, and the soft whispers of a gentle mother…

'_Ka-sama…'_

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he appeared next to her. She opened her eyes and slowly stared out into the field.

"Naruto, why does he want to know so much about me? I'm no one special, just an orphaned girl with silly pink hair and jade eyes that works and lives in a flower shop with an obsessed fan-girl. Why does he care so much?"

"You mean Sasuke? Well, he wants to understand you more. He blames himself for what happened to you since his family had close ties to yours-"

"Is that all?" Sakura asked flatly, turning her head away from him and walking further into the grass. Naruto grabbed her wrist. "O-Of course not Sakura-chan! I think that…Sasuke could probably understand you better than anyone else in this entire world. He lost his parents too, his mother when he was 5, and his father around the same time you lost yours. ..I think he had an older brother too…he was supposed to inherit the throne, but mysteriously disappeared and hasn't been seen since-"

"That's all very sad, Naruto, but Sasuke wasn't completely alone. He had his caretaker Kaito, and his brother's most likely alive- maybe in this very same town and he lives in a **castle** with **hundreds** of advisers and servants and maids." Sakura interjected. "He has everything he could ever want...and **then **some."

"Stop acting like a such a victim Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled, though his eyes were apologetic. "You have a better chance at making friends than Sasuke's ever had. He's been stuck in that castle because his brother ran off. Yeah he has Kaito, and me but there aren't any maids and the servants are afraid of him! He wants to understand you because for the first time someone understands what it's like to be **abandoned**!"

Sakura wriggled out of his grasp and continued to walk. "So what if I know what it's like to be alone; to be abandoned? I still despise all men. Sasuke's just a tiny bit above that. He has something I want; something I-"

"You're special, Sakura-chan! Not just because you're like me or Sasuke! He hasn't looked at any _woman _more than just a passing glance but he's gone the extra mile for _you_!"

"I'm flattered, really Naruto but what does it ma-"

"Speaking of Sasuke….where is he?" Naruto interjected as he turned around, looking left and right. "What are you talking about he was just here-" but Sakura's voice trailed off as she turned around as well. Behind them upon the hill where they had just descended from, the raven-haired man was nowhere to be found.

Sasuke had vanished.

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Naruto ran up the grassy hill and looked around as he called our to his friend, "Sasuke? SASUKE!"

Sakura walked up the hill more slowly. "Calm down, Naruto. He couldn't have gotten far-" She explained to him calmly. "But why would he leave in the first place? Sakura-chan- what if something bad happened to him?"

"Nothings happened to him, Naruto…"

But the blonde grabbed her shoulders. "N-No! You don't understand at all, Sakura—chan! If anything's happened to Sasuke the council will have my ass big time! He's technically the last Uchiha- the young Lord of Konoha! If he died…it'd be all my fault! Konoha would fall- I'd be responsible for demolishing an entire city-!"

His wild rants came to a halt when Sakura raised her arm and slapped him roughly. He rubbed his cheek with a hurt expression but didn't dare speak as she scolded him," Get a grip Naruto! I'm sure he's fine-"

That's when they heard soft murmurs not far from where they were standing. The two wandered a few yards into the forest and followed the voices.

"This has become troublesome, Sasuke."

"…Shikamaru, is she still breathing?"

"…Aah, but she's out cold."

Naruto and Sakura found Sasuke with his disguise off kneeling next to a man with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and hunched over as if being there was quite troublesome to him.

"SASUKE! Thank god you're…oh.-" Naruto exclaimed then his voice trailed off and stopped dead in his tracks. "What's going on- oh-my god…" Sakura exclaimed horrified by the sight. There in the dirt, lying on her stomach was a girl with long midnight black hair. Her clothes were bloody and tattered; barely clinging to her body. Scratches and open wounds lined her legs and one of her arms lied in an unbendable position; clearly broken.

Who was this girl...and what had happened to her?

**TBC…**

**A/N: Shikamaru and Hinata have finally made their appearances! I'm really sorry I haven't uploaded sooner…like I said before there's been a lot on my mind lately along with my little sissy birthday. She's 11.**

**Till Next Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**

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	7. Earning Respect

**I'm back with Ch. 7 of Rose guys! ****READ THE END NOTE GUYS!**

**Sorry for not uploading sooner, you know how it is with the holidays…you get lazy and stuff your face. Haha. But I did end up writing a new story in honor of turkey day/black Friday. It's 3 chapters, and its just a little something to make you smile. **

**Not only did I create a story for Thanksgiving, but I created a story for CHRISTMAS TOO! I don't think it's that good since I made it in like 2 hours (which is pretty fast since the Thanksgiving one took 2 days) but, you could prove me wrong **

**Give me some feedback on it, alright?**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO:**

**xx M i M i**

**Namine-sama**

**Puppyeye1**

**Aiyo Rei**

**Kakashi500**

**passion244**

**Starlight - Wild Koneko**

**hinata486**

**Mitsukigirl**

**blossoms14**

**ANBU Inu **

**

* * *

**

"We need to get her to a doctor." Sasuke murmured as they all stared in horror. "There- isn't a doctor for miles Sasuke- from the looks of it she needs help, and fast." Shikamaru argued when he found his voice.

"We can't just leave her here."

"What's that supposed to-"

"I think…I can help." Sakura interjected quietly. She shuffled awkwardly when 6 pairs of eyes averted their eyes from the injured girl.

"And who are you supposed to be? Some troublesome stray Naruto picked up-"

"Shikamaru." Sasuke called to him. The pony-tailed man turned to face a dark and firm expression. "Hear her out."

'Since when do YOU care about what women have to say?' he thought wildly but turned back to face Sakura.

'Who the hell does this guy think he is? He comes outta nowhere and calls me a STRAY? What am I, a DOG?' Sakura thought but faked a smile. "I'm Haruno Sakura and-"

"She's a doctor-in-training." Sasuke finished with a small smirk when he saw the eminent shock on their faces.

The pink-haired woman raised her eyebrow when she noticed his smirk. Sure she studied every medical journal, book and file available to her, but she was still nowhere near being a doctor-in-training. Was he going to give her the file without 'winning' it?

Sasuke shrugged, as if he could read her mind as Shikamaru picked up the unconscious girl. "Is there somewhere we can put her so you can examine her 'doctor-in-training'?" he asked in an almost mocking tone.

"There's a trail that'll take us back to my house without a lot of commotion.." Sakura added quickly. The pony-tailed man sighed. "This is becoming the most troublesome day… lead the way."

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Sakura led them down the trail with Sasuke walking beside her while Shikamaru carrying the poor girl on his back tagged along side Naruto.

"You planned this all along, didn't you, Sasuke?" Sakura asked without looking at him. Sasuke his amusement smirk. "Planned what?"

"This whole thing."

"What 'whole thing'?"

She shot him a dirty look. "You don't have the file with you, do you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "And if I don't?"

"You'd think something so valuable wouldn't leave your site. Did you really plan to rip up that file if I lost your 'game'?"

"It wouldn't matter to me if I did or not. If I wanted to contact Tsunade I'd get one of my advisors to get her."

"Unbelievable..." she muttered. "What about Naruto? Did he know about your little plot?"

Sasuke shot her a skeptical look. "Pissing off your friend was his doing. Not mine."

"Sasuke…"

"I got what I wanted and you got what you wanted. Everyone's happy." he dismissed as he walked a little faster. Missing the smile that crept onto her face.

"Ne, Naruto," Shikamaru whispered to Naruto as he eyed the two in front. "Who is that troublesome woman anyway?"

"Her names Sakura-chan." Naruto told him plainly making Shikamaru sigh. "No, I mean what is she to Sasuke? This is the first time I seen him talk- let alone look at another woman."

"Join the club. He met Sakura-chan yesterday. I think he likes her."

"Like her? I didn't know he was capable of feelings."

Naruto grinned. "I thought so too! Sasuke-teme went through the trouble of finding some file for her 'cause she needs it' or something."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. "Sasuke did THAT for her?" he asked. "Guess there's a first for everything…"

"He almost threw me off the roof last night for making a joke about her!" Naruto replied, shuddering at the memory.

"She doesn't seem like anything special, just another troublesome woman. If he wanted to get with a girl all he had to do was walk outside the castle and-"

Naruto stopped him by covering his mouth. Talking about Sakura, in a bad way, loud enough for Sasuke to hear was NOT a good move; especially since they were on a trail possibly miles away from people.

"Sakura-chan's different-"

"Because she has pink hair? So what!"

"No, I mean he must see something in her that no one else can like she does with him 'cause Sakura-chan normally hates men-"

"You mean she's a les-"

"No! She had a bad childhood when her father was around-"

"Hence, she despises all men. Great. Another troublesome victim." Shikamaru sighed. Looks like the unconscious girl on his back wouldn't be the only one that needed help.

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As Sakura searched for various kits and medication Naruto was reluctantly sent away to wait with a now calm Ino.

That left Sasuke and Shikamaru.

"What're you two still doing in here?" Sakura asked them suspiciously. Nothing good ever came from 2 men alone with an unconscious girl.

"She's wounded and I don't know your level of expertise. I don't care what you are to Sasuke or if you're a doctor-in-training I'm not leaving." Shikamaru told her firmly as he crossed his arms.

Sakura opened her mouth to yell but was stopped when Sasuke pulled her aside. "Trust him. He's the smartest person in Konoha."

"Cut the crap he's our age!"

"His IQ is over 200 so bear with him. You need patience as a doctor." Sasuke reminded her.

Sakura shot him a doubtful look but ended up sighing. He was right, if she wanted to come close to becoming a doctor she had to be able to deal with hostile people like Shikamaru.

"As much as I'd prefer lying in the middle of the street impersonating you than helping out a girl with pink hair... Sasuke, you have to leave." Shikamaru interrupted.

He looked at him wildly and demanded an explanation. "It doesn't matter if you're the Lord of Konoha or a fool like Naruto, you can't be in the way when working with someone in critical care like this. Chances are, she's going to freak out the minute she sees us."

Before he could protest, Sasuke- with his wig on of course- was kicked out.

"Now, Troublesome," Shikamaru started, "By just looking at her, what can you diagnose?"

Sakura glared at him. Who the hell was he bossing her around? He was just supposed to help her, not suddenly become in charge! Sakura hadn't known him for more than 15 minutes now and she was already beginning to hate him…

"Aren't you supposed to be helping me?" She asked with murder hidden deep beneath her eyes as she watched him sit down at her desk.

"Sasuke said I COULD be of good help, that doesn't mean I will."

"You-"

"I suggest you keep your comments to yourself. To become a doctor you have to deal with all sorts of difficult situations which include cooperation and compromise."

Sakura sighed, focusing her mind on getting that file from Sasuke and ridding herself of this man for good. "Fine. Tell me what I have to do."

"First, try and diagnose the patient's condition without touching her."

Sakura glared at him before she bent down beside the girl. "Well obviously her right arm is broken, mild scratches and bruises all over her body, a sprained ankle, and her left shoulder is dislocated."

"Not bad. Not many people would've caught the ankle or shoulder at first glance." Shikarmaru admitted, slightly surprised. Pleased, Sakura hid her smile and turned away from him. "Looks like I'm not your average 'doctor-in-training'."

"Don't get cocky. By assuming, what can you say about how she was found?"

"By the looks of it, she fell into the ditch; falling on her shoulder as she rolled down, twisted her ankle in the process and trying to stop herself with her right arm. She broke it in the process-"

"Highly unlikely. Because she was found on her stomach, she was running away from someone or something." Shikamaru interjected.

"What does that have to do with the position she was found in?" Sakura asked slightly annoyed by being interrupted.

Shikamaru pointed to the cuts and bruises on her barefeet. "She has no shoes. If she was running for her life she wouldn't have worried about footwear. Assuming she looked back to see if she was still being followed, she must've tripped and twisted her ankle. If she landed on her shoulder it would've dislocated it hence being found on her stomach."

Sakura was at a loss of words. Sasuke was right, Shikamaru definitely didn't have an average IQ. "But that doesn't explain the broken arm. If she didn't break it when she fell, how could she have broken it?"

"Look at her tattered clothing and scratches. Someone probably tried to rape her. She struggled, and he broke her arm."

"That explains the scratches and bruises on her wrists and neck." Sakura finished. Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. "You're not as troublesome as I thought you were."

Sakura smirked, she was finally getting some respect. He frowned at her smirk. "You're still the most troublesome person I've ever met."

"Sure, sure. Hand me the antiseptic." Sakura told him as she turned around to face the unconscious girl. As he tossed her the bottle, she pulled out the bandages and some cloth.

"You're going to have to leave."

"And why?" he demanded before she turned to face him. "Were you that insulted by my compliment? Women are so-"

"I could care less about what you say to me. I have to clean her wounds."

"Your point?"

"I don't trust you, you pervert, so leave." Sakura replied stiffly before she stood up and pointed to the door.

With a sigh and mumbling something about her being troublesome he rose and left the room, the door slammed behind him.

"Got kicked out too?" Naruto asked without looking up. Him and Sasuke were in the middle of a card game with Ino.

"Aah. I don't get that troublesome woman. She kicks me out because she was going to clean the girl's wounds." Shikamaru grumbled as he sat down next to Sasuke and Naruto.

"Don't take it personally." Sasuke told him as he eyed Naruto's toothy smile suspiciously.

"She hates men remember? I'm surprised she let you stay in as long as she did." Naruto added before he set down a pair of fives.

"How did I get dragged here anyway? I was just sent here to find Sa-" he paused to glance at him and Naruto who were glaring at him. Shikamaru had to watch his tongue.

"Er-these two." He finished. Sasuke sighed mentally before glancing at Naruto who winked.

"5 aces." Sasuke announced as he put the cards down.

"A full house." Ino grinned before Naruto could put his down.

The men sighed and threw their cards in the middle.

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As Sakura searched through her drawer to find something her "patient" could could wear, her mind wandered to her previous disagreement with Naruto.

'Stop making yourself out to be such a victim! You've never been completely alone either!'

'Well, I suppose he was right. No matter how alone I felt Ino and her parents had always been here for me. They even took me in when my mother died.' She thought as she rummaged through another drawer.

'Open up a little Sakura! Otherwise you'll never find a man and you'll be a lonely and old!' Ino had told her once. She had always been the party girl who never seemed to think over any of her decisions, and never seemed stop talking about some guy she met on the street.

'Hmmpf. I don't need a man, I've been just fine without one. There's no way I'm gonna allow myself to let another guy ruin my life.'

Naruto has a point though. Her thoughts reasoned. Sasuke's suffered just as much.

'So what? The only reason why he's talking to me is cause he blames his family for my childhood.'

'Is that such a bad thing, Sakura? What makes you so special? I'm sure his family hurt a lot of people yet he chose YOU over them'

But she was brought out of her argument with herself when she heard a rustle behind her. It was the girl trying to move.

Quickly, she hurried to her side. "Easy, there! You've been injured, so don't try to move." Sakura told her as she met the girl's lavender colored eyes hidden by her midnight blue hair.

That's when she saw it. The fear and confusion in her eyes were inevitably visible. Sakura saw it so suddenly, it froze her. When she snapped out of it, Sakura placed a hand over hers. "You've been through a lot, haven't you?" She asked softly.

When the girl didn't get an answer, she gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright, I won't hurt you. What's your name?"

But the minute she asked the girl, tears rolled down her bruised cheeks.

The reassuring smile faded on Sakura's face when she came to realize what she was really faced with. "Oh..my…"

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"Alright, Sousuke-kun, Naruto-kun, you two lost. You know what that means." Ino smirked evilly as she held up her winning hand of cards for the third time.

Shikamaru looked away with a pained expression on his face, as if he was having a battle with his sanity.

All of the men were shirtless, and Sasuke and Naruto had just lost the current game of strip poker completely.

Naruto and Sasuke uncomfortably stood up as they started to unbutton their pants when they heard the door to Sakura's room creak open and she stood in the doorway of the backroom.

Gratefully, the two stopped to face her.

"How's the girl?" Sasuke asked as he grew pink. Even though she had seen him shirtless before, he found it degrading and embarrassing to find himself losing a game of strip poker to Ino (who was practically drooling at the sight of him).

He thanked the heavens that Ino didn't know his true identity at the moment.

"Oi, Sakura-chan, say something!" Naruto told her impatiently as he walked over to her and gave her shoulders a shake.

Something was wrong, and Sasuke could see it clearly on her face. Even though her expression was unreadable, her eyes weren't.

"The patient…" Sakura told them shakily as 8 pairs of eyes looked up at her.

"…is mute"

**TBC…**

**(Edit: This needed more editing than I thought it did. I've been working on this for a few days O.o.)**

**FINALLY I HAVE THIS UPLOADED! And luckily it's longer than it has been in awhile :).**

**ALSO!**

**I'm thinking that with the BEGINNING OF THE NEXT CHAPTER will have a couple ****PRE-PREVIEWS**** ( pre-previews- (n): previewing something before it's previewed. A word made up by Asuka.) Of the future chapters for you guys, to add to the with the suspense ;) **

**Till next time!**

**xxasuka-chanxx**


	8. Rose Extra!

**THIS IS NOT CHAPTER 8!!! **

**Compliments to ramenlova610, this is a little extra, just to motivate you guys to keep reading!**

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**Welcome to the very first PRE-PREVIEW CHAPTER!!**

**With your hosts, Naruto and Sakura!**

Naruto and Sakura: Yo!

And a guest appearance by…

….Tobi from the Akatsuki…?

Tobi: hey hey everyone!!!

Naruto: NO WAY!! I AM NOT WORKING WITH THIS **BOUZO**!! HE WORKS WITH ITACHI!

Sakura: Naruto…watch it, this is only a **fanfic extra**, technically in this story you don't have any grudge against the Akatsuki.

Naruto: -growl- fine. But just this ONCE.

Sakura: -smiles- alright Tobi, what's your opinion on Till the Last Rose Dies so far?

Tobi: I think…IT STINKS!!!

Sakura and Naruto?!!!!

Tobi: Yeah, that's right, I said it!! It STINKS!! STINKS STINKS STINKS!!! Do you know why? Because I doubt I'm not even going to appear ONCE in the ENTIRE STORY!! It's because I can't blow things up like Deidara or I'm not an Uchiha isn't it? ISN'T IT?!!

Sakura: C-Calm down Tobi you don't know that do you-

Tobi: OF COURSE I KNOW IT!! I rarely show up anywhere and when I do it's always in bad scenes!! Kishimoto has made me out to be some coward who's afraid of Sasuke or some childish kid in the manga AND the anime!! –sob- how do you think that makes me FEEL?!!!

Sakura: er….well…

Tobi: But of course little miss PINK-HEADED/I'M SO GREAT doesn't CARE about how I feel! Only about her pinkheaded SELF and how she wants SASUKE BACK! Well do you know what I think about that?? I THINK IT'S BULLS-

**-long pause- **

Sakura: Er..due to some technical difficulties we had to cut our interview with our guest, Tobi.

Naruto: Good riddance-I-I mean it's a shame we had to cut it short, but here's out next guest, Yamanaka Ino

Ino: FINALLY! I thought that guy was NEVER going to shut up.

Sakura: eh heh…._like someone I know_…Let's get on with our interview. Ino, how do you being a main character in Till The Last Rose Dies?

Ino: I'm enjoying being a star like usual!! After all in the show and manga I'm rarely seen at all! Normally it's always Naruto Naruto Naruto-

Sakura: ANYWAY!! Ino, how about you show us a pre-preview of a future chapter?

Ino: Right! Though I'm not exactly sure what good it'll do all of us…..

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_Pre-Preview:_

"_Wait, Ino!!" Sakura cried as she ran after her blonde haired friend. _

"_Ino, I-"_

_SLAP!!_

_Sakura held her pounding cheek as the cold rain beat her skin. Ino had her hand raised, and in her eyes betrayal was visible. _

"_You lied to me, Sakura. You __**promised **__me…"_

"_I didn't lie to you Ino-"_

"_Then why were you kissing him?!!"_

_Sakura felt her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. __**'So she did see us after all…'**_

_As the thunder crackled Ino lowered her eyes, a bitter smirk curled at her lips. "I should've known you would do this…__**You're no better than you're father **__…" She murmured before she made her way down the muddy path back to the village._

"_Ino, don't do this...It's not what you think- INO!!" Sakura cried before Ino had disappeared from her view and the rain became heavier and her tears were drowned._

_At that moment, Sakura had lost her best friend over a misunderstanding…_

_She had lost Ino, because of him…_

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Sakura: Oooh that was intense!! If only we could actually show you this scene!

Ino: But sadly, the only thing you can do is keep reading

Sakura: Make sure you read **the bolded text** It shows author's notes and announcements!

Ino: Also, check on her profile for the latest news or chapter release incase you haven't put xXAsuka-chanXx on **author alert. **

Sakura: Also, keep commenting, it keeps her motivated and happy!

Ino: It also makes her want to upload **FASTER**, SO DON'T STOP!!

Naruto: Hey I didn't get to say hardly anything the entire time!!

Sakura: Sorry Naruto, do you wanna show the next pre-preview next time?

Naruto: YEAH!!! The next one will be even better, I promise!!

Sakura: Till next time folks! We're out!


	9. On One Condition

**'Till The Last Rose Dies**

**Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the last ch. of Rose and the pre-preview of a future chapter! I'm sure that if I continue showing you guys pre-previews that you'll finally get the hang of the storyline!**

**Special Thanks to:**

**passion244**

**Frog-Wallet**

**hinata486**

**WaterBlossom1**

**Kakashi500**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto IN ANY WAY! But I DO own this storyline.**

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"M-Mute?" Naruto repeated as he broke the silence the shock had brung.

Sakura nodded sadly as she walked back to her room where the girl was lying. The four exchanged looks before following her.

They found the girl sitting up, bandaged and fully clothed. As her eyes met the four she inched back fearfully, wincing at the pain that came with moving.

Sakura sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, they won't hurt you."

"Yeah, we're perfectly harmless." Naruto grinned. "Well, you might have to worry about Sasuke over there, he's been known to be-ARGHHH!" he howled as Sasuke smacked the back of his head roughly.

As she saw this, the girl inched back until her back was pressed against the wall.

"No, No they were only kidding!" Sakura told her quickly. "They're friends."

"Does she know her name?" Ino asked as she looked at her strangely, as if she had seen her somewhere before.

"She doesn't have amnesia, Ino. She can't talk." Sakura replied with a sigh. Ino had never been the smartest growing up.

"Sometimes when you go through a traumatic experience, you lose the ability to speak." Shikamaru explained. "This girl's a rape victim, so I don't blame her for not talking."

"Will she ever get it back?" Naruto asked without taking his eyes off the terrified girl. Shikamaru shrugged. "Who knows; recovery varies with every person."

Naruto sat down on the other side of the dark-haired girl. "Do you remember what happened to you, nee-chan? Maybe the person who did it?"

"Try to remember." Ino told her eagerly. If it wasn't learning about the latest gossip, rare occasions like this were what kept her lively.

They watched her look down, trying to remember the past events. Suddenly her eyes widened before she slumped back, fainting.

Sakura and Shikamaru sighed, as if they figured it would happen. "It must be really traumatic if she fainted."

"Our best guess right now is to try and find her identity out." Shikamaru announced. "What should we do with her?" Naruto asked Sasuke.

"Sakura, do you have a spare bedroom to keep her in?" Sasuke asked her.

Sadly, she shook her head. "This place is barely big enough to support me and Ino. I don't think we can afford to keep her anywhere."

"Then it's settled. You and the girl are moving in with us." He declared, hiding a smirk as the shock set it. "W-What?" Ino, Sakura, and Shikamaru demanded.

"I-I can't-" Sakura stammered.

"She can't-" Shikamaru protested

"You can't-" Ino babbled.

"We need Sakura's medical skills. I'm sure that Shikamaru will agree." Sasuke replied as he shot him a warning look.

"I guess it would be nice to have someone of the same sex taking care a rape victim." Shikamaru mumbled defeatedly.

"B-But…I couldn't possibly..." Sakura stammered again. "Sure you can! You'll live like royalty AND practice being the next Tsunade!" Naruto told her with a goofy grin.

"I-I supposed I could take care of her until she gets better…" She answered as she stuffed a strand of pink hair behind her ear awkwardly.

"You and the girl will move in with us for the time being to take care of her. When she's better you're welcome to go as you please with the company of the file." Sasuke replied with a pleased expression on his face. The Uchiha heir loved when things went his way.

"I'll get someone to send a kago for us…in the meantime, you better get packing." Shikamaru grumbled.

"A kago? Isn't that for the super rich or royalty?" Ino asked suspiciously, finally overcoming the shock.

Shikamaru sighed. "Of course. He's the richest man in Konoha you troublesome woman." Ino thought this over. "But…the richest man in Konoha is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Bingo-" Shikamaru blurted out when Sasuke and Naruto covered his mouth.

"YOU-" Naruto started.

"Idiot." Sasuke finished with a growl as Ino's eyes started to twitch. "You-You mean you're…all this time I- you and Sakura were…"

"I-Ino?" Sakura asked a little nervously as they watched her lower her head.

"UCHIHA SASUKE IS-" Ino started to scream before Sakura covered her mouth as Naruto grabbed her arms. They watched her wriggle around, her babbles muffled.

"MFGOIPKKLSSSS!" Ino screamed as she glared at Sakura.

"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd freak out, Ino." the pinketee answered. The men gaped at her. How was it possible for her to understand her?

"kldiioopei. Oeroriuru?" the blonde asked her friend with a sad expression.

"You would've eventually figured it out, but I knew you'd blow his cover in some way when you did. Then the entire female population would be in here and we'd have another rape victim." Sakura argued.

"iooiopk…ereffg."

"If you calm down we'll let you go, but you can't scream. Promise?"

"Mmf."

Sakura and Naruto let go of her mouth as Ino let out a sigh. "So let me get this straight: you're somehow friends with the Uchiha Sasuke and now he wants YOU to stay at HIS castle while taking care of some girl you found in the woods?"

"You could say that." Sasuke replied as he pulled off his disguise while Naruto ruffled his own hair so it was back to its normal blonde spikiness.

"But Sakura- you HATE men!" Ino exclaimed.

"I do. And I always will, but he has something I want, and I'll do anything to get it. Even if it means staying with these guys."

"…Then I want to go too!" the blonde protested. She didn't find any justice in her staying at the flower shop while Sakura got to live with the extremely desireable Uchiha. Especially when she didn't_ desire_ him at all.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! I REFUSE to have TWO TROUBLESOME women with us! They complicate everything and she isn't needed. The LAST thing I want is an annoying pink-headed girl and her loud whiny blonde friend with her." Shikamaru retorted.

"Then I'm not letting her go!" Ino told them stiffly.

Ignoring the insult Shikamaru issued to her, Sakura pulled Ino aside. "Ino, _please_. I **have **to do this. Sasuke can help me get what I want, he has strong connections with THE legendary Tsunade-sama, and she can help me."

"But-"

"This may be my only chance to become a doctor and get some practice at it. Besides, you have to attend the flower shop. Without you gone, the flowers will die. This is your entire life here." Sakura added.

Her friend sighed. "I wouldn't be so worried if you're only intentions were to use Tsunade-sama to become a doctor."

Sakura gave her a grim smile. "I know he's out there Ino, and when I find him…I'll make him **pay **for what he did."

Ino shook her head. Sakura had had her eyes set on revenge for as long as she could remember. Though she was in no position to try and change her mind, Ino wished her friend would see that revenge never made anyone happy. Before it was too late.

"Fine, I'll let you go. Just promise me one thing," Ino told her as she gave her friend a challenging smirk. "Don't you DARE fall for my future husband, Sakura. Or I'll never forgive you."

She had to laugh at this. "Me? Fall in love with Uchiha Sasuke? Please Ino- give me break! That I KNOW I can promise you. As soon as I get what I want, I'm outta there, then he's all yours."

"Don't forget to tell him about me, Sakura." Ino winked.

"I won't." Sakura smiled. Boy crazy or not, she was still like a sister to her.

"Alright, I'm allowing Sakura to go." Ino declared as they moved back over to the men.

Naruto broke into a cheer and swung an arm around Sakura's shoulders as him and Sasuke exchanged looks. Shikamaru grumbled quietly, but he was ignored.

"On one condition." Ino added as she held up an index finger. "I get paid for lending her to you."

"Why would we pay you for 'lending her' to us?" Shikamaru demanded. "Yeah…Sakura-chan isn't a tool!" Naruto protested.

"Technically, her mother left my family in charge of Sakura until she turned 18. She's only 17, and since my parents moved out to retire in the country and I'm 18, I have authority over her until the 28th of March." Ino answered.

Sakura gaped at her but hid her amusement. Every now and then Ino said something clever, but this was usually once a year.

"Besides, I think I should get paid to keep my mouth shut. Now that I know you're Uchiha Sasuke, I could easily go outside and yell that you're here. You'd be cornered within minutes." Ino smirked. She had him now.

Shikamaru growled. 'I underestimated her intelligence.' He thought, cursing himself. Sasuke sighed. Naruto thought quietly about what Ino had said, running it over in his mind, and Sakura still had her mouth open.

Ino was more than just a pretty face.

"Fine. You have a deal." Sasuke replied. Ino's smirk grew wider. She always got her way.

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Once Sakura was packed she snuck away to climb up to the roof and lean on the ledge. As she let out a sigh, she was startled by a voice.

"Ino told me I'd find you here." Sasuke called as he watched her spin around to find him climbing up the ladder that lead to the roof.

"Caught red handed." Sakura answered and watched him walk over to the roof ledge and lean next to her, resting on his elbows.

"When I was little, I got too sick to move, so I couldn't go to the meadow. So I used to come up here when I needed to get away." She explained to him absently.

"Sounds familiar." he told her softly. She glanced at him curiously. "Back at the castle I'd go up to the roof with Naruto. It's a great place to watch the sunset and the stars."

Sakura looked at him. "You watch the sunset?"

"Is that a crime? Sasuke asked.

Sakura smiled and shook her head.

"Being up high helps me think better." Sasuke explained after a few moments of silence passed between them

"And what could a lord such as yourself have to think about?" Sakura snorted.

"A lot of things."

"Serious things?

"Aah. Just because I have power, doesn't mean I'm exempt from being human. I'm 17 just like you."

"With everything you could ever want..." Sakura mumbled under her breath. Onyx eyes void of emotion flickered in her direction. "With that priviledge comes its own set of problems."

"How so?"

"The other royal families could easily take over should anything happen to me or I'm unfit to be crowned lord of Konoha."

"They allow you to leave when you're in disguise, right?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm not allowed to leave period-for my own safety."

"Meaning they could send someone to execute you for the throne." Sakura whispered.

"Aah."

"It must be tough…not being able to be a normal kid…" Sakura murmured feeling a tinge of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She had all the chances in the world to make friends and be a normal girl, but Sasuke's case was different. Because his life was in jeopardy he was imprisoned inside castle walls, sent to a life of obligation instead of freedom.

_Stop making yourself out to be such a victim!_

Naruto was right. She had been over-exaggerating her case.

"It's all I've known. It can't be helped or changed." Sasuke shrugged.

Silence came over them before Sasuke broke it with a question. "I wanna ask you something…is contacting Tsunade your only intention?"

Sakura gave him a bitter smile and shook her head. "No. I hope to get Tsunade-sama's help to track down my…father, Haruno Hidaeki."

He gave her a puzzled look. "He's assumed dead and you hate him. Why would you want to track him down?"

He watched her grit her teeth as she spat out the answer. "He's not dead. I know him better than that…He's out there; somewhere…I vowed to make him pay for what he did to my mother."

"…How?"

"When I find him…I'm going to kill him."

**TBC…**

**I decided to end it there XD. You guys probably hate me right now. It's kinda short, but I promise to upload soon. I'm going to get a laptop soon, so I'll definitely be uploading more. Would you guys like me to put some of my other stuff (like Holding my last breath or Inside konoha high) up too or would you just like me to stick to one story at a time? Give me some feedback on it okay?**

**And don' forget to review/comment!**

**till next time! xxasuka-chanxx **


	10. Moving in

'**Till The Last Rose**

**IM BACK!!! And I'm really sorry because I always make excuses and stuff for disappearing for weeks at a time, but I hope everyone had a great 07' and that 08' is doing better than mine has so far :(**

**Recently, I got into a car accident and almost lost my mom, and my aunt died awhile ago from kidney failure, so I lost the will to write for awhile. But my mom is ok and my aunt is in a better place so that's something to be thankful for. I'm also thankful for all my ****AMAZING**** readers and their comments.**

**Special SPECIAL thanks to:**

**xo M i M i**

**Namine-sama**

**cherryfire48**

**fleeting thought**

**ANBU Inu**

**Mitsukigirl**

**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**Confuzzled239**

**Frog-Wallet**

**Kakashi500**

**WaterBlossom1**

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"Kill him?" Sasuke asked her, slightly shocked at the anger visible in her eyes. "You couldn't just punch him a few times and call it-"

"I'm serious Sasuke," Sakura told him without the slightest smile. "He was the reason why my mother died so quickly and not the slightest bit peaceful- he's the reason why Ino and her family had to take me in so I wouldn't have to go live in an orphanage in a foreign village called "Sound". He-"

Sasuke covered her mouth. "I get it. Because he walked out on your guys you had a rough childhood, but getting revenge isn't the answer."

Sakura scoffed and turned away, trying not to listen. What did this pretty boy know about avenging his family?

"If you don't…you'll suffer the same fate as my brother Itachi suffered."

This got her attention as she stared into his obsidian eyes. "You had a brother?"

"Aah. Kaito forbade everyone in the village to never mention his name again, so he oculd be left in the past like my grandfather and father…"

"What happened to them?"

"He got into some trouble helping out a friend. He ended up murdering an important political power belonging to one of the neighboring royal families belonging to the Sand village. Furious, my grandfather had declared that he be executed, my father even agreed- but my brother rebelled." Sasuke explained, clenching his fists angrily.

"You mean…he could still be alive?"

"Aah, but if he was ever found he'd be killed on the spot, if he hasn't already. He felt so betrayed by my grandfather's declaration and the fact that my father agreed with him that he murdered them and ran away. That's why he hasn't shown his face in Konoha since…the coward…"

Sakura lost the will to speak as he went on. "…I remember just hours before they were murdered…Itachi's last words to me were 'Don't let them take away your freedom', but I never quite understood what he meant…"

'_Wow, he lost his brother, grandfather, AND his father all in one night…he's had it tougher than I ever had…'_ Sakura thought guiltily.

Sasuke looked up to see the pain in Sakura's expression so his softened. "Don't pity me. Even though I have a heavy burden to carry on my shoulders, I'm alive and now that I'm the last Uchiha, until the day I die I won't let anyone else suffer if I can help it."

"Wait, you don't blame yourself, do you Sasuke?" Sakura asked him almost horrorfied.

He turned away from her as he gritted his teeth. "Who else is to blame? If I'd just stalled him a few minutes longer, maybe…just maybe-"

SLAP

As the wind rolled by it brung the silence as Sakura slapped him roughly. "Don't you ever talk like that!! You can't blame yourself for things you had no control over!!"

Sasuke held his cheek. _'This is the second time she's slapped me, and it hasn't failed to sting less yet.' _ He thought before he shook off the head rattling ring her slap had brought.

"You and I are alike, in a sense. You know that?" She asked as she looked up at the cloudless sky.

Though he said nothing, he looked at her for an explanation. "As a lord, you don't want to see your people suffer if you can help them, and as a doctor-in-training, I want to train as hard as I possibly can so I can save as many lives as possible, not just so I can find my father."

"Is there no changing your mind, about your father?" Maybe there's another reason why he left-"

"What other reason could he have had without telling his family? Haruno Hideaki was a selfish, cowardly man who walked out on the people he loved and the village who cherished him." She shot back coldly.

Sasuke looked away as silence fell. It seemed like every person he had come across he couldn't help.

"But there are some questions I want to ask him before he goes." Sakura told him more gently which made him look up and manage a light smile as Naruto called them from below.

"OI!!! Sousuke-teme!! Sakura-chan!! The kago's here!" (**A/N: just in case you guys don't know what a kago is, a kago is a sort of old feudal way or transportation. It's sort of like a carridge, only used with man power. One man in the front, another in the back.)**

"Let's go." Sakura told him as she waved to Naruto, signaling that they would be down with her bags in a few minutes.

"Sakura," Sasuke called as he grabbed her wrist. "In a few days there's going to be a meteor shower. If you want, I could take you up to the roof of the castle to watch it. It is the highest place in Konoha after all."

Sakura turned completely around to face him. She could've swore his cheeks were bright pink, and his gaze refused to meet hers as a failed attempt to hide it.

That's when she heard Naruto's words most clear:

_You're special to him, Sakura-chan!! I've never seen him LOOK at a girl TWICE let alone go through so much trouble to come see you._

This was THE Uchiha Sasuke's first time ever asking a girl to do anything with him.

And he had picked her.

Then she smiled. After all, it had been the first REAL time that a boy (her age) had ever asked her to go anywhere with him. In fact, before Sasuke, she hadn't ever really talked to a boy unless it was serving insults to drive away a sleazy one from the flower shop.

'_It feels kinda…nice, being special to someone.' _She thought happily as she opened her mouth to reply

. "…I'd like that." Sakura replied as the two smiled at each other before making their way down to the front of the shop to watch Ino yelling at Naruto and Shikamaru to load Sakura's bags and the unconscious girl in carefully.

"Be careful Sakura, and be sure to tell you-know-who about me." Ino whispered to her with a wink when the bags were all in and Shikamaru and Naruto were in the kago, settling themselves and the unconscious girl.

Sakura smiled at her. "I promise. See you soon," She replied feeling a little guilty about accepting Sasuke's offer to star watch with him.

With one last hug, Ino watched her climb into the kago followed by Sasuke before the four watched Ino and a few passerbys get smaller and smaller.

'_Goodbye, little flower shop, hello Uchiha Casle.'_ Sakura thought as she rested her head on the soft cushion behind her head as a small smile curled on her lips and an anxious knot appeared in the pit of her stomach.

Sakura didn't realize that this was going to be a life-changing experience she was never going to forget.

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The kago ride wasn't what Sasuke or Sakura had expected. Only Shikamaru and Naruto, who napped, were comfortable while the other 2 battled their inner thoughts and consciences.

'_You're going to fall for him, Sakura.' _Her inner self teased.

'_That's not possible. Just because he's semi-tolerable doesn't mean I don't still despise men altogether.' _Sakura sniffed without a second thought.

'_Don't lie to yourself. That's worse than lying to someone else. You and I both know you don't hate men; you're AFRIAD of what they're capable of. After all your father-'_

'_Sure, sure. Who asked you anyway? Can't I enjoy my first kago ride without you bothering me??'_

'_Of course not. Besides, YOU'RE the one who's lying to yourself. It's my duty to change your way of thinking otherwise you're never gonna get any-'_

'_OK I'M SHUTTING YOU OUT NOW!!!!" _Sakura thought as she covered her head with her hands and shut her eyes tightly.

'_You know that's not going to help. I'm already IN your mind.'_ Her inner self smirked.

'_Well no matter what you say to me I know that I won't fall for Uchiha Sasuke. He just pities me, that's why he's giving me the opportunity to become a doctor. We're alike, he doesn't see me as anything more than someone he can relate to.'_

'_Now you know that's a lie Sakura. Who the hell is talking anyway? Didn't you listen to anything Naruto told you back in the field? You __**mean**__ something to him. Why else would he invite you to go star watching with him?'_

'_How would I know what that Uchiha thinks? He could just be trying to get laid. How do you know that Sasuke didn't tell him to tell me all those things before he showed up at the flower shop?'_

'_I don't even know who you are anymore Sakura!! How could you honestly say that? On the roof he practically opened himself up to you and now you're putting him off as one of those sleazy bastards who flirt with you behind the counter during your work hours!!' _

'_I've only known him a day. No possibly sane person would open himself up to a complete stranger. He's just using me. There aren't any good men in this world. They portray themselves as innocent but then end up leaving you broken hearted and for death. This is why I hate men.'_

'_Fine. Lie to yourself and me. It's not gonna do you any good. Deny it all you want, but by the time that girl gets better you're gonna be head-over-heels for him, mark my words.' _And after her warning her thoughts quieted.

Meanwhile, with Sasuke who was looking at Sakura strangely; as she had covered her head with her hands also had nagging thoughts as well.

'_What's wrong with her?' _he wondered as he raised a brow.

'_Maybe she doesn't like kago rides.'_ His thoughts told him thoughtfully but then asked him something that made his cheeks redden. _'You're falling for her, aren't you?'_

'_That's absurd. Like I told Naruto, I don't know her.'_

'_Come off it. You and I both know she had you wrapped around her finger when she saved your ass from being trampled the other day.'_

'_Not possible. I haven't been controlled by a woman in my entire life, nor will I start regardless of what you or anyone else says.'_

'_Che. So stubborn. Alright Mister Ego; if you don't fancy her why did you go through so much trouble to find out her background and better yet invite her to star watch with you?' _His inner thoughts smirked. Sasuke didn't have an explanation for this.

He let out a sigh. His thoughts sure did nag a lot when he let his mind wander. _'I don't know. She's…not like other women who fall to my feet when they see me. She didn't even know who I was. If she did, she wouldn't have saved me.'_

'_And you like the thought of not being known?'_

'_For the first time, I got to actually talk to a woman with pure intentions. She was ignorant to my identiy, I want to get to know her better; we're alike.'_

'_So in other words, you feel like you can be yourself around her?'_

'_Who asked you anyway? Just shut up and enjoy the kago ride?'_He told his thoughts snappishly. They had never nagged him this way before. Was it because he had let a woman see a side of him he had never let anyone besides his mother see? _'Like I said before, no woman has controlled me nor will I give them the chance to. As soon as the mute girl's healthy it's to the curb with her'_

'_If that's what you think then fine,, but you're going to realize that the more time she stays by your side, the harder it'll be for you to think of life without her again.'_

When they arrived at the Uchiha castle, they were greeted by two guards at the gates who were shocked when they looked inside to see a strange pink-haired woman with bright emerald orbs and an unconscious girl with midnight blue hair in the same presence as their Lord.

"Uchiha-sama, who…?" One of the guards asked as he pointed to Sakura. With a small gleam in his eye he spoke. "This is Haruno Sakura, the newest-doctor-in-training and our guest for the time being."

"It's- nice to meet you." Sakura told them as she nodded slightly. This baffled the guards as they opened the gates, watching as Sasuke listened to the pink-headed girl to talk to him. But what surprised them the most was the fact that he neither looked disgusted or annoyed in her presence, but looked unusually calm; maybe even happy for the first time in years.

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When they reached the entrance of the castle, Sakura was helped out by the two men handling the kago. "Wow…" she murmured under her breath softly. Never in her life had she dreamed of ever coming this close to such a huge castle let alone THE Uchiha castle.

It was as unusual as it was beautiful, crossed between a medieval one with it's size alone with the large metal gate, and a feudal one as it was more similar to a _yamashiro _(**a/n: mountain castle)**

"Don't stare with your mouth open. The guards and servants will think you're a spectator." Sasuke murmured to her as she gaped openly.

Blushing, she glared at him. "Well forgive me for gawking. This is the first time I've been close to a castle."

"Well you're obviously not ashamed of it. You're practically drooling." Sasuke smirked as her cheeks reddened. "It's not my fault your castle is similar to the _Shirasagij._"(**a/n: White heron castle located in Himeji in the Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. One of the "Three Famous Castles". If you have a chance, try and get a picture of it, it's pretty amazing so I don't blame her nearly drooling. :) **)

Sasuke snorted. "Blame my ancestors. Now come on."

As they walked in, Sakura asked him what they were going to do with the girl, but before they could answer they were greeted by Kaito's kind old face.

"Welcome back, Sasuke-sama. And you must be Haruno Sakura- my you've gotten so big! The last time I saw you, you were about as tall as my knee! I'm happy to see that you still have your mother's uniquely pink hair; not to mention you're the split image of your mother, only with eyes equivalent to your father's-"

"Please, leave the past in the past, Kaito-san." Sakura interjected quietly as she clenched her fists behind her back. Sasuke noted this and decided to change the subject. "We have a patient that needs to be cared for. Kaito, could you get Ichiro and Sai to carry her to the infirmary?"

"Of course, Sasuke-sama. May I ask you what Sakura-san is doing here? She couldn't possibly be here to pay an old man a visit." He asked, chuckling softly.

"She will be helping Shikamaru with the girl, so she'll be staying with us for the time being."

"That's surprising, Sasuke-sama since you-"

"Uchiha-sama, you have a very important meeting to attend to. Please allow us to escort you." Two servants interjected as they gestured him to follow them.

Sasuke sighed. He hadn't been home 10 minutes and they were already pushing and pulling him away from more important things. Things were seeming to become more and more troublesome everday.

"Very well. Have Ichiro and Sai come immediately to take our patient to the infirmary. Kaito, please be kind enough to escort Sakura to a room of her choice and join me in the conference hall." And with that, he departed.

"Naruto-kun, I think that it will be better if you showed Sakura-san to her room. I'm sure that she'd rather have you than an old man like me anyway." Kaito told him with a smile, catching his attention and his mouth open.

"But-"

"As for me, I'll take care of the girl. May I ask who is she first?"

Naruto shrugged. "Hell if we know. She's mute and from what I've been told she's a possible rape victim, that's one of the main reasons why Sakura-chan's here."

"Aah, I see. Well, run along now. Shikamaru, would you be so kind as to help me carry the girl?"

'_But you're stronger than I am!! Troublesome, lazy old man…'_ Shikamaru complained mentally but decided that it was best not to cross him and picked up the girl while Naruto showed Sakura up the long staircase to the second floor.

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"How do you like the Uchiha castle so far Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked her as they ascended up the steps.

"It's…big. Where is exactly is my room?" Sakura asked, looking around at the tapestries and intricate designed engraved into the wood rails of the steps then trying not to gawk at how big the second floor which were lined with rooms.

"Well, Sasuke didn't exactly tell me what room you couldn't have so I guess you could pick whatever room that appeals to you." Naruto told her as they wandered the halls.

"How many floors are there exactly?" Sakura asked, gaping at how big everything was turning out to be. "Well, considering the mini floors there are four main ones, and about five or six wings and several min-floorsThe first floors are broken up into wings like the infirmary, conference hall, kitchen, and where the first floor guards and servants are. On this one are more guards and servants along with a special wing where the elders stay so they don't have to walk so much." Naruto told her as they reached the second flight of stairs.

"You mean the floors are broken up into ranks?" Sakura asked as she looked up, noticing that on the ceiling was a large Uchiha clan marking.

"Sorta, I stay on the third floor with Shikamaru and some of Sasuke's closer friends. We're sorta like his close advisers, and I'm his wing man. Wherever he goes, I'm with him." Naruto grinned. "Kaito used to stay here, but I think there's something wrong with him. He must be getting old because he normally doesn't go up past the third floor unless he wants to get something from the hall of records which is up a mini floor."

"Where's Sasuke's room?" Sakura asked as she looked at all the doors, each seemed to have a marking of some sort; as if saying it belonged to someone already. As she passed one she could've sworn one had the picture of an engraved deer on the frame of the sliding door and the word troublesome on a DO NOT DISTURB sign hung on the doorknob

"He stays on the top floor normally, but I'll let you in on a secret; this entire castle has hidden rooms and floors. That's why we call them mini floors. Even I haven't found all of them."

"How many have you found so far"

Naruto had to think a minute as they paused now and then to look in a room to see if it was to Sakura's liking. "I've found…about 50 hidden passage ways, 45 hidden rooms, and 13 mini-floors."

Sakura gawked at him. How big could this castle possibly be???

Naruto hid his smile as he glanced at the look on her face. "The castle isn't as big as you think, but if you stumble into a hidden room and lose your cool, you could be lost for awhile. But normally, the hidden rooms lead to one of the main floors. The ones I've seen so far haven't reached up to the last floor."

"Have you ever been up there?"

He shook his head. "The last floor is hardest to get into. On the outside it seems as though you could just scale the building and break through one of the windows, but if you look close enough, about 10 of the windows are fake. Rumor has it that one window leads to a bottomless hole…"

"But aren't you Sasuke's best friend?" Sakura asked, a little confused by the whole thing as they climbed up to the third floor. How could he live there so long and not seen the entire castle?

Naruto got quiet. "The last floor isn't something to mess around with. I don't remember how, but Sasuke tried to bring me up there once, but his dad caught us and he got beaten for it. It contains all of the Uchiha secrets on that floor, so only someone of Uchiha blood or someone extremely devoted to the clan like Kaito; who's been here for decades and is the most trusted out of everyone in the castle."

"Why is that? Are the secrets that big?" she asked. The whole thing was starting to seem pretty ridiculous to her.

"Heh, you could say that. Only Sasuke and Kaito know how to get up to that room. There are probably things up there that we're better off not knowing. But if you marry Sasuke I bet he'll let you-"

"I found a room." Sakura told him, ignoring the last part of his sentence as they came to a room that had a cherry blossom petals engraved of the frame of the door.

As she opened the sliding door they walked into a large, empty room with a large window with the white silk drapes open so they could clearly see the orange setting sun. The floor was wood, but the wall paper on the inside were of a cherry blossom tree with petals flowing onto all of the walls.

"Wow…it's perfect…I think it's as big as the flower shop…" Sakura murmured as she stepped in.

"It's convenient for you, the stairs are just around the corner and my rooms 2 doors down from the left. Don't forget where your room is alright-?"

"…Sure." Sakura murmured absently as she wandered to the large window and stared out. Naruto left with a small smile on his face. She reminded him of himself when he first arrived at the Uchiha castle and Sasuke had given him a tour. He seemed to gawk at everything, not matter how big or how small, yet in some way, the look in her eyes seemed to remind him of Sasuke's beautiful mother who had died of a mysterious illness the doctors could never diagnose.

'_I have a feeling Sakura might change this clan entirely…'_ Naruto thought before shutting the door softly behind him and walked to his room.

**FINALLY I got ch. 10 uploaded. I apologize for any mistakes I failed to correct, but I REALLLYYY wanted to upload this for you guys because I feel bad for disappearing FOREVER.**

**PLEASE don't stop reviewing, they all make me feel really good. I love constructive criticism or anything you guys would like to see in here whether it's a filler chapter, some fluff between characters of your choice or a turn of events that won't completely alter the ending I have planned (which are of 2-3 choices.)**

**But what I really don't like and I've been seeing with some of the other authors, some of you reviewers are REALLY MEAN saying that they have no talent and they suck. There's no point in doing that and it doesn't help our self-esteem. There's a difference between constructive criticism and being a TOTAL ASS. After all, we're not forcing you to read our writing. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Don't tell us we suck as writers ect ect. **

**I'm glad that I have such a amazing readers who don't do that to me I love you guys!!!!**

**Till next time!! (WHICH I PROMISE WILL BE IN A FEW DAYS!!!!)**

**xxasuka-chanxx **


	11. Rose Extra 2!

**And we're back with another bonus pre-preview chapter of a future rose chapter!!**

**With your hosts, Naruto and Sakura!!**

Naruto: Yo!

Sakura: Hey everyone! Today's special chapter of a pre-preview chapter is an **intensely suspense filling one**!!

Naruto: Which stars me of course!!

Sakura: Oh-What's this-I'm getting something-a message from **xXAsuka-chanXx**…

Naruto: What does it say?!!!

Sakura: It says that** xXAsuka-chanXx is planning to have 2-3 chapter of Rose out by the end of the week for an apology for being gone so long… she also says that she's extremely grateful for all her reviewers/commenters and that they are all amazing!!**

Naruto: You hear (read) that everyone? 2-3 chapters! That's gonna keep us really busy Sakura-chan…

Sakura: Well we've had plenty of time off Naruto!! Now how about you introduce our special guest already?

Naruto: OH RIGHT!! Here's someone we all love, and not some lousyannoyingbastardthatbelongstotheAkatsuki… please welcome, **Hyuuga Hinata**!!

Hinata: -walks out from behind curtains- h-hello everyone…

Naruto: Hinata-chan, how does it feel to play a different type of role than you normally play?

Hinata: I-It's definitely a different type of practice for me…I don't get to say much s-so I don't get nervous as much.

Naruto: Please, to officially declare your role in Rose so there's no mistaking you, tell us your character.

Hinata: I-I play the mute girl Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru found in the words in the previous chapters.

Naruto: Can you tell us when you're going to speak or will you stay mute the entire series?

Hinata: Well…I-I'm not supposed to say it, so I brought a "clip" of the another pre-preview!

Naruto: Well what're we waiting for?! Roll the "clip"!!

"_You planned this all along, didn't you?!" Naruto murmured as he wiped the blood trickling down the side of his mouth. His eyes met Hinata's which were filled with tears and fear as she felt the cold metal of the blade against her neck._

"_It's true, that I have behind this all along, but I only want what's best for Konoha, and in my eyes and the elders we believe that Uchiha-sa…no…__**Sasuke**__ is not fit to protect the people of this village and this country."_

_Naruto chuckled as he stood up, making him frown. _

"_What's so funny?!!"_

"_Heh…it's just…that I can't believe for stupid you sound. I know Sasuke better than anyone, and if you think betraying him and giving up this thrown to a homicidal maniac will make Konoha a more peaceful place, you got another thing coming, and it ain't filled with roses and sunshine."_

_He frowned, but then smirked as he eyed the dark figure coming up from behind him. "I assure you that you won't ever see that future, Naruto-kun."_

_Hinata's eyes also looked at the dark figure coming towards Naruto. Her eyes met evil for the first time, which made her heart nearly stop as she saw it raise its arms as it inched near Naruto._

_That's when it shot out from the pit of her stomach and out her throat, a beautiful, but hoarse voice that came choked out as a loud shriek._

"_NARUTO-KUN!!!!!!!!!!! BEHIND YOU!!!!!!" _

_Completely shocked by the fact that Hinata had finally found her voice, the only thing he could do was turn around before a sharp pain emitted through his body, and crimson leaked to the floor. He looked down to see the blade piercing his skin._

"…_I should've known that you were in on it too…damn…" he managed before he fell to his knees, losing consciousness. _

"_NARUTO-KUN!!!!!!!!!!!"_

Sakura: -shudders- I hate that scene…

Naruto:……………………….THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME?!!! WHAT?!! I DON'T WANNA DIE I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD SE-

WHACK!

Sakura: ANYWAY!! Hinata, would you like to comment on that?

Hinata: I- well I'm happy that I finally get to speak b-but if Naruto-kun dies…I-

Naruto: -sulks- why do they have to kill ME off…? It's never Sasuke-teme or Sai…

Sakura: Well, I think that Naruto is in no mood to talk, so I'll close it for him. I'm Haruno Sakura,

Hinata: A-And I'm Hyuuga Hinata.

Sakura: And that's a wrap!!


	12. You're All I Have Left

**Well I'm back (Finally) guys and I'm really happy with all my amazing readers you guys rock!! I got to snowboard on Tuesday for the first time in a year –sniff- but I ended up getting sick so here I am, at home updating this for you guys to read :D**

**Special thanks to:**

**(My newest readers)**

**ApplelovesApple**

**hArukigirlz**

**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**(You guys rock! Your reviews always make me smile :) )**

**Kakashi500**

**passion244**

**Frog-Wallet**

**WaterBlossom1**

**Also: XD I love some of your guys' reactions to the pre-preview. I can't say I'm gonna kill off Naruto, and I can't say that Kaito is the one who's gonna betray anyone in the end just keep on reading and find out!**

**I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS But this is my storyline/original idea, so don't steal it!! And if you intend to use any plot, ect be sure to give me credit for it :) or else!! –pulls out the metal ball and chain-**

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"We're glad you could join us, Uchiha-sama." Spoke one of the elder's politely as Sasuke walked in. The guards escorting him bowed before taking their leave and shutting the door quietly behind them.

"What's this about? I don't have time for another lecture." Sasuke replied, slightly annoyed as he eyed the four elders in the room. Among them was Saito and the two elders from before.

"It has come to our attention that Kaito's passive nature with your decisions are intolerable." Saito answered without meeting his onyx eyes. "So we've sent for a replacement."

Sasuke was outraged. First they were complaining about him acting like a teenager, now they were calling Kaito a lousy advisor?!

"He should be arriving in a few days if not sooner." One of the elders added. "You dare defy me again?" Sasuke demanded through gritted teeth.

"Of course not milord!! We're just trying to make your life easier-"

"Obviously, you find me unfit to rule my own kingdom and make sufficient decisions for myself if you're hiring unnecessary advisors to make my job more troublesome. Who is more wise than Yamato Kaito?"

"We understand that, Uchiha-sama, but you must understand that Kaito-dono is getting old. He has served the Uchiha clan for many decades…we thought if we hired someone to equal his knowledge he could leave more peacefully-"

"You talk as if he was dying in a few days, but he's perfectly fine-and you dare attempt to replace him without my consent...?" Sasuke growled as he clenched his fists.

"But you must understand Uchiha-sama, his eyesight is leaving him, and so is his memory. Couldn't you consider his health and let him live out the rest of his life in retirement?" Asked one of the elders. None of them would lift their eyes to meet the anger in their lord's eyes.

"If he had wanted consent to go into retirement he would've confronted me about it. I know Kaito better than anyone else- he loves it here, otherwise he would've left long ago!"

"We meant no disrespect Uchiha-sama-"

"Silence. This is one of the highest forms of disrespect to your superiors. How can you even think about making decisions for me when you can't make sensible ones yourselves?" Sasuke spat as he looked at all of them one more time. He had never been so pissed off at them before. "Excuse me." He murmured as he turned to exit the conference hall when Saito spoke up.

"Your father would not approve of this rebellious behavior. **Kaito should've raised you better**-"

That's when Sasuke turned and let a small dagger he had kept in his sleeve fly from his hand and hit the wall behind the elders, barely missing Saito's face.

"**If…you ****ever**** disrespect Kaito or my father again…I'll kill you.**" Sasuke replied. His eyes became fierce, even from their distance they could see his eyes become a bloody crimson as his muscles tensed and his fingers dug into the skin of his palm angrily before he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

Saito swallowed awkwardly as the room filled with a deadly silence.

"So…this is what Kaito-dono warned us about long ago…" One of the elders murmured. "His eyes Do turn a blood red when they become enraged." Another added.

"Saito, that was only a glimpse of the wrath of an Uchiha. Though they are a calm, proud clan and have ruled peacefully for centuries, it has been said that they are vengeful and the hatred and rage they harbor is inhuman. I advise you to be more careful with your words. Kaito-dono is the last living person Sasuke-sama has in this world and talking about our late lord Fugaku-sama (a/n: **Sasuke's father. His real name too!!**) is something unacceptable."

"Aah. Gomen." Saito murmured under his breath as he felt blood trickle down the side of his cheek where the dagger had nicked him before he wiped it away. Though he was gone, the anger and hatred he had seen in Sasuke's eyes would haunt him for days.

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As Sakura looked out the window absently, she stared back at her reflection with regret.

_I'm happy to see that you still have your mother's uniquely pink hair; not to mention you're the split image of her, only with eyes equivalent to your father's._

'_I have that bastard's eyes…' _Sakura thought as she clenched her fists angrily as she stared back at herself.

"_Is there no changing your mind, about your father? Maybe there's another reason why he left."_

Why was it that Sasuke's word's always seemed to come back to mind? _'Maybe…there IS another reason my father left my mother and I…' _Sakura thought as she imagined her father trying to reach out to her, as if he was trying to tell her something.

Then she shook the thought from her mind. _'No. I've never stopped hating him before, why should I now? Just because some pretty boy Uchiha comes into my life and makes a semi-reasonable statement? Who is he to try and change the way I think of my father? There is No excuse for leaving your wife and child for dead and never returning for an explanation-and for that I will never forgive him.'_

Her look softened when she saw how fierce her green orbs had become and remorse overtook them and she stared at her bags behind her, neglected by the door.

'_It might be better if I unpack, it'd be easier to get settled that way.'_ She thought as she started to walk over to them, but then another idea came to her. _'Since the 4__th__ floor is off limits, maybe I can find Sasuke or that annoying Shikamaru to give me a better tour of the place…'_

As she walked down the long flights of stairs she heard familiar voices belonging to Sasuke and Kaito.

"Oh, Sasuke, I was just about to-"

"I'm done there." He replied coldly as she heard him start to walk past him. "What troubles you milord?" he asked calmly as Sakura heard him stop.

"Did you know about the council sending a foreign adviser to replace you?"

Kaito sighed softly. Looks like the meeting didn't go as planned. "I cannot say I did not, Sasuke-san."

"Then why didn'tyou tell me instead of them?" he demanded. The tone he was using made Sakura's heart beat out of her chest. Fearing that he'd hear it, she took a couple steps back up the stairs.

"You had departed before I had a chance to speak with you, Sasuke."

"So you assumed I'd be calmer with a bunch of incompetent men telling me that my most trusted adviser was retiring?" Sasuke demanded. The anger and betrayal in his voice was inevitable.

"Please do not be angry with me. I assure you that it was their choice to attempt to replace me. I merely told them that I needed assistance."

"What for?! You're perfectly fine!!"

"I understand your confusion milord, but you forget that I have served your family for many years. I'm afraid that this old body is starting to wear out. It is getting more and more troublesome to move around. Saito-san noticed my predicament and suggested that it was time to start planning for retirement-"

"I should've known**he** was behind this." Sasuke murmured under his breath.

"Rest assured that I refused to plan for retirement, but I agreed to send for another advisor to insure that someone will be as good as I am by your side-"

"No one could ever replace you."

Kaito put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not dying anytime soon, Sasuke-san. I promise you that, though I can't say I can be as helpful. The library is on the 3rd floor after all-"

"I'll order everyone to get everything you could possibly need within your reach, that way you won't tire yourself and you could still be called the best in the entire world." Sasuke told him eagerly.

Kaito chuckled. "I wouldn't want to interfere with someone else's duties. Neglecting your subjects' needs just for my own isn't a very lord-like decision, Sasuke."

"Then what am I supposed to do? Just watch you rot away?" Sasuke asked. His temper was starting to flare up again.

"Calm yourself, Sasuke. I never said that." Kaito told him sternly.

"…Gomen. You're all I have left, Kaito. When you're gone, I'll be-"

"Listen to what you're saying. As long as you have Naruto and Shikamaru and-"

"That's not what I meant Kaito. You alone are the sole secret keeper of the Uchiha clan-practically family. When you die there'll be no one but me, the heir." Sasuke murmured.

"Do you lack faith in your ruling capabilities?" he asked him as Sasuke looked away.

"No. But I'm only 17 and-"

"-You're overwhelmed by the responsibility bestowed upon you, ne?"

Sasuke nodded. Why just him? Why did he, Uchiha Sasuke have to lose everyone he cared about?

"I know that you feel as though life is unfair, but no one ever said you had to do it alone, and no one is expecting you to marry and start a family so soon. But there are many opportunities for you, Sasuke, and always remember that you are never alone. I have faith in your decision in choosing another secret keeper when I am gone."

"Aah."

"Shouldn't you find Sasuke-san now? I'm sure she's in need of a tour if she hasn't wandered out of her room already. This is a big castle after all."

"Aah. Right."

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'_Maybe I made Sasuke out to be worse than he appeared to be.'_ Sakura thought guiltily. After hearing his conversation with Kaito, he didn't seem to have a greedy or self-centered bone in his body. All he appeared to be was lonely, and confused. _'Maybe we're more alike than I thought we were…Withoout Kaito, there would be no one he could share his past with, no one who would've known his family like he did. Sure, he'd have riches, power, and a castle, but he'd be one lonely guy…'_

There wasn't any traveling or having fun, just work. If he left his castle and word got out, neighboring countries would invade Konoha and try and take over the castle, it was never about him, just his country and his people…

When Sakura thought about it that way, she found that Sasuke was a damn good guy.

"Oof." Sakura grunted as she ran into someone who made her eyes widen.

"What do you think you're doing here?" the person demanded.

'_S-Sasuke…?'_ She found herself thinking. _'Waitaminute…'_ she thought as she looked up at him more closely. He had obsidian eyes and hair similar to Sasuke's raven locks, but this boy was different…paler…

"H-Hey…Let go of me!!" Sakura told him as she tried to wriggle free of the man's grasp. Who was this guy anyway and why was he treating her as if she was trespassing…?

**To be continued**

**XD you guys are probably like.."NOOO!! YOU BITCH!! YOU CAN'T END IT THERE!" Haha. But like I said, I _AM uploading another chapter (sometime) this week_. Maybe even later today if you guys are lucky. I do have all day since I'm sick and all. **

**So Till next time! **

**xxasuka-chanxx**


	13. Kaito

**Till The Last Rose Dies**

**:D I'm back with another chapter [later than I promised…gomen ne!!! You guys rock thanks for being so patient with me... I planned on having this up yesterday, but I spent the entire day at the doctors'. I had bronchitis, and I might even have strep throat [HOW AT THE SAME TIME?!! now. But even though my throat hurts [not as bad as it could be since I'm on antibiotics you guys make me feel so happy and much better **

**Special Thanks To: **

**(These 2…you guys are so sweet thanks for caring about my health!!)**

**Namine-sama**

**WaterBlossom1**

**(Newest Readers…Welcome welcome :D! Stick with me till the end please!!)**

**one2bLoved**

**dark ninja girl**

**Li09**

**siny**

**(2 of my favorite readers these 2 have been with me since my first fic –sniff- I'm so grateful!**

**Kakashi500**

**passion244**

**(My Newest Favorite Readers: You guys are amazing. I love your reviews!!)**

**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**hArukigirlZ**

**XD I would also like to add all of you were wrong about who was grabbing Sakura. Itachi WILL show up later, but not so soon O.o otherwise you guys would run out of stuff to read. But I might have him show up sooner than expected. Remember that I said the Sasuke-look-alike is ****"paler"**

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"L-Let go of me!!" Sakura cried as she tried to wriggle free. Why was this Sasuke look-a-like holding her like she has done something wrong? Was it a crime to wander around a castle unattended? Damn that Naruto…he should've told her about this.

"Shut up and stop wriggling." He told her roughly as he held her tighter. "I don't know how you got in here, but you aren't-"

"Let go of her Sai." Sasuke told him as he appeared at the top of the stairs. He didn't look to happy with the way he was manhandling her.

"But Sasuke-san, you said-"

"This one's different. She's our guest." He interjected with a growl.

Seeming intimidated by his tone, the man let go of Sakura reluctantly, murmuring an apology before taking his leave.

"Did he hurt you?" Sasuke asked in a more gentle tone when Sai had left.

Sakura shook her head, surprised by his tone, but rubbed her wrists, hiding the barely visible bruises his grip had left. "I'm alright. But who was that guy anyway?"

"That was Sai, one of the guards. Don't take it personally. It's my fault. He's not used to seeing a woman around here-"

"Maybe because you ordered everyone to throw out any women who came close to the castle, teme." Naruto grinned as he came around the corner with Sai who, by the his expression, had been dragged back.

Sasuke glared at Naruto for eavesdropping, but he seemed unaffected. "If you don't want Sakura-chan to be thrown out of the neartest window, I think you should let everyone in the castle know she's here to stay." Naruto suggested. Sai continued to stay silent.

"He-would've thrown me out of a window?" Sakura asked, shocked. "O-Of course not!! I-" Sai started but shut his mouth and eyed the floor again. This made Naruto laugh. "I was kidding. Sai's too good of a guy-deep down- to do that, no matter how much of a bastard he can seem to be sometimes. But some of the other guards in here would've. You're lucky Sai found you before they did-"

"Naruto." Sasuke warned. Trying to scare her was starting to irk him. _'Told you you're falling for her.'_ His thoughts sung only to be ignored.

"Gomen, gomen. I was only kidding, don't have a heart attack, teme."

"I'll make the announcement at dinner. Tell the cooks that we'll be having it outside in the courtyard."

Naruto grinned. "This must be really special if you want to have it there! We haven't had dinner there in years!!" and with that he hurried off with Sai and disappeared down the stairs.

"Sorry about that." Sasuke murmured to her when their footsteps couldn't be heard anymore. Sakura shook her head. "There's nothing to apologize for."

As he nodded silence overcame them before Sakura opened her mouth again. "How was the meeting?"

He looked up at her before walking by. "Troublesome. If I wasn't obligated to them, I wouldn't gotten rid of all of them." Sasuke told her a little more coldly than he would've wanted.

"You mean- the elders?"

"Aah. They're becoming more and more incompetent by the minute."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but decided that it was best for Sasuke not to know that she had been eavesdropping on his conversation with Kaito.

"I have some work to do. I'll see you at dinner." He told her without turning around as he started to walk away.

"But-"

"I'm sorry, but I have to do something important. Find Shikamaru or catch up to Naruto to keep yourself busy for the time being."

"Aah…" Sakura mumbled as she headed for the stairs, but when she felt a hand on her shoulder she stopped. "I'll give you a tour later. This castle is big after all, so try not to get lost."

Without turning around she snorted. "Me? Get lost? Please, it'll take a lot for someone like me to get lost, Sasuke, so don't count on it."

"That's good to know." He replied, satisfied by her answer as he turned back around to walk down the hallway to disappear around a corner.

Sakura held her expression until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore before she frowned. _'I'd find Shikamaru if I knew where he was…ah well, I guess I'll just have to trust my sense of navigation…' _

But before she knew it she had found herself in a corridor that was unknown to her.

Sakura was lost.

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'_Damn! I just walked down the stairs and turned a corner!! How can I possibly be lost already?!'_ She thought as she looked around with a sigh.

Sakura wandered around for about 10 minutes before she ran into someone. To her luck, instead of being manhandled and thrown out a window like Naruto had said, she merely looked up at the kind old face belonging to Sasuke's care taker, Kaito.

"By the look on your face, you're lost, Sakura-san." Kaito chuckled.

"I-I'm not lost. I just turned a wrong corner when I ran into you." She lied softly which made him chuckle once more. "Alright, alright. What are you doing down here anyway? Did you get settled already?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not completely done unpacking yet, but I got bored so I went to wander around until this guy came up behind me and tried to manhandle me down the stairs." Her conscious mentally kicked her. She actually hadn't unpacked at all.

"Oh? My apologies, you must've ran into Sai."

Boy, was he good.

"Please don't take it personally, Sakura-san. He has a troubled past; losing his parents when he was little, he came to us one night, beaten and drunk. Despite the elders' protests, Sasuke opened the gates to him, and he's been here ever since. Though Sasuke told him he could stay as long as he wanted, Sai became devoted to the Uchiha family and claims to owe Sasuke his life."

'_That would explain why he was so quick to try and throw me out and then had a change of heart when Sasuke told him to…' _she thought.

"Sasuke…did something like that?" Sakura asked Kaito as they walked down the halls together. He chuckled once more. "You sound surprised."

"Well…I have to admit that…I always thought Sasuke would turn out to be a selfish, greedy lord who only thought of himself, that he was self-centered and only cared about bringing power to the Uchiha clan…but now...now that I've gotten a chance to know him, I guess I can say that my notion about him was wrong…"

Kaito smiled. "You can never judge a book by its cover, Sakura-san, you of all people should understand that saying."

Sakura looked down. Being the illegitimate child to Haruno Hideaki made her mother seem like a common whore, and her a whore's daughter.

"You're the first woman to honestly voice her opinion about Sasuke. Did you know that, Sakura-san?" Kaito asked, unable to hide his smile. This made Sakura look up and ask what he meant.

"Well, as we all know Sasuke's idolized among all the women in Konoha. They seem him as someone who could 'do no wrong', but you, Sakura-san, are different compared to them. You honestly told me that despite what you have probably heard from the other women; you had grown to detest Sasuke and the Uchiha clan altogether."

"I guess…you're right. It's not one of my best attributes…" Sakura muttered sheepishly. "What are you talking about dear child? It's a wonderful attribute!!"

A wonderful…maybe this guy DID have a few loose screws after all…

"You're different. You don't allow yourself to be manipulated into thinking something other than what you believe in, which is, most of the time, a very good trait. But it also means you're as stubborn as a mule."

Sakura glared at him as he laughed. Yup…this guy definitely wasn't _completely_ right in the head…

"You're the first woman he's taken interest in; do you know that, Sakura-san?" Kaito asked her as they turned a corner. Sakura sighed mentally. Everyone seemed to tell her this. "So I've been told, but I doubt it. I'm just similar to him with pink hair and green eyes; otherwise I'd just be another face in the crowd."

"I bet to differ. I understand that you've only met him recently, but Sasuke sees things in people others can't see. When Sai came to our door he looked nothing other than a junkie and a bum on the street, but Sasuke saw a fine and loyal guard with a great deal of potential. You'll make a fine doctor, Sakura-san you've already helped 2 people already."

"2?" Sakura repeated absently.

Kaito nodded. "You've helped Sasuke as well. You've saved him from himself lately. Things haven't been best around here; he's having trouble seeing eye-to-eye with the elders and stress has been piling up on him. I think it'd be best if he had a woman's touch in his life. It might be good for all of us in the long run."

They came to a stop as they stood in front of an open, warmly lit room at the end of the hall. "Well, here we are, the infirmary. It may seem small, but it's actually one of the largest rooms in the entire castle. You should find Shikamaru in here. When you're done might I suggest finding Naruto? I'm sure he'd love to introduce you to everyone."

Sakura gave a light smile. "I'll keep that in mind. Oh, Sasuke told Naruto and Sai to inform the cooks that dinner will be served in the courtyard."

"Really? The courtyard? My, we haven't had dinner there since…well…nevermind. I'll see you then, feel free to find me if you have any questions or concerns." And with a bow he left her.

Sakura sighed. _'What a strange old man…' _she thought before walking in.

**To be continued**

**Sorry this is a short upload till nxt time!!**


	14. A New Friend and the Youthful Chefs

**Ahh I love you my readers :). Every time I log in to check how many reviews I have I always seem to have another one and it really makes me happy!! And I know I've been really behind on updates…so I'll try to upload 3 TIMES this week as an apology!!**

**So Now, with my Special Thanks, we shall start the story!!**

**Special Thanks To:**

**Newest Readers: Thanks for joining me :D! Please stay with me the rest of the way!!**

**SoranoDarkHorse**

**sakura the lover**

**rawriamabanana**

**Ayumi14**

**My More "Veteran" Readers you guys make me feel the fuzzies (warm fuzzy feeling):**

**one2bLoved**

**passion244**

**WaterBlossom1**

**hArukigirlZ**

**Namine-sama**

**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**Mitsukigirl**

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After Kaito had left, Sakura walked into the infirmary and allowed herself to lose any etiquette she had learned over the years as she walked into the warmly lit room, her mouth dropped and her eyes widened.

The infirmary's main room was about as big as the flower shop and the bakery next to it. With just one glance you could say that the infirmary itself was nearly as big as her block of the shopping district

'_This is unbelievable!! How in the world can this room fit something so enormous?!!' _Sakura thought wildly as she walked around, her mouth still dropped.

Then she heard someone chuckle.

"Surprised at how big it is here? We were sort of shocked ourselves." Said a voice which made Sakura jump as she spun around to find two men also her age with their arms crossed.

"How long ago was that, Shino?" asked one with dark hair and sharper, more canine like teeth as he grinned at his friend who had spikier, dark hair that stuck straight up; similar to Naruto's blonde head. Only this guy gave her the chills because she couldn't see his eyes behind his dark glasses

"Maybe 5 years, Kiba."

"Who…are you guys?" Sakura asked clenching her fists. If these guys were going to try to throw her out a window she was gonna put a fight.

"We could ask you the same thing. It's not everyday that we see a woman around here…especially one with pink hair and green eyes…"

"Just tell me who you are." Sakura interjected, watching her tone of voice carefully. Though she could take them on she didn't feel like falling 10 stories.

"Alright, alright, no need to get huffy. I'm Inuzuka Kiba and this is Aburame Shino, now who are you?" Kiba answered as he held up his hands defensively.

"Haruno Sakura. Didn't Shikamaru tell you about me?" Sakura asked. _'Damn him! He must WANT me to be thrown out of here…'_ she thought, making sure she'd pay him back later.

"…Mmh….no I can't say he did. But he did mention something about a troublesome girl that would be helping him out with that mute rape victim. That isn't you is it?"

She sighed. "I suppose it is. Kaito lead me down here. I was gonna check up on the girl then find Naruto and Sai who are in the kitchen-"

"Kiba, Shino, where is that antiseptic- oh. It's you. What're you doing down here? Did you get lost?" Shikamaru asked flatly as he came out of a room behind Kiba and Shino.

Sakura shot him a dirty look. "I came down here to check up on the girl. What are you doing here?"

"I was tending to her injuries- why else would I be in this troublesome place?" he snapped as he walked over to a cart that was filled with medication and ointments.

"You-"

"Where's that slacker Naruto? Shouldn't he be showing you around?"

"Sasuke told me he'd show me around later and Naruto is with Sai in the kitchen-" she replied through gritted teeth. Since she had met him just hours ago he was nothing but rude to her. _'You'll get yours one of these days you bastard…'_

"Well help out there. You aren't needed. Kiba, show the girl to the kitchen and leave her with Naruto. It would be troublesome if one of the less friendly guards catch her wandering around." He told him without looking up.

"But-"

"Oh, and come back here. We still have to give her the rest of her shots."

Kiba sighed. There was no use in trying to argue with him. When Shikamaru made up his mind there was no changing it so he took Sakura and dragged her out.

"Hey girl," Shikamaru called after them making her roll her eyes and turn around. "Come here when you're done helping Naruto and after dinner. No exceptions." And he walked away.

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"Sorry about that. He's normally not that rude it's just that-"

"-he thinks I'm 'troublesome'. I know." Sakura finished as the two walked down the halls.

"Not exactly, he's a good guy and all, really smart too. When Sasuke can't go to Kaito for his problems, he goes to Shikamaru and no one else. I believe that when Kaito dies he'll be next in line as his trusted advisor."

"Sounds like he could be awesome if he wasn't such a jackass to me. What did I do for him to be so arrogant?"

"It's not you personally. I think he had a girlfriend once- hard to believe, I know. But something must have happened between them and-"

"He left her, Sasuke helped him out, and he's been here ever since." Sakura finished once more. She was starting to realize that everyone around her and Sasuke's age had some kind of close connection with him.

Kiba really looked at her this time. "Or she left him. But how did you-"

"Everyone seems to have a strong connection with him around here. I just put two-and-two together." She replied blankly.

"You could say that I guess. Since I've been here Shikamaru has never seemed to talk about his life before coming here. Most of us don't, and I think the only person who knows about him is Sasuke himself."

At that moment Sakura decided that while she was here she would convince Shikamaru to tell her what Sasuke did to make him stay here and his life before coming here.

"How did YOU get here?" She asked him curiously. _'This Kiba guy seems to be friendly. He didn't look like he resented women like Sai or Shikamaru did…'_ she said to herself thoughtfully.

He looked up at the ceiling before looking at her again. "Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm curious that's all."

He chuckled. "Let's just say he saved my best friend's life then took us in. You have to be here longer for me to tell you the details…is that fair?"

"Fair enough." Sakura agreed.

"He's around here somewhere, and he's kinda big too, so don't be scared if you bump into him."

"Don't worry, I don't frighten easily. I've already bumped into Sai earlier anyway." She told him confidently

When they turned a corner he asked, "So what brings you here? To Uchiha castle that is. You must be special if they let you in here."

"Not really. I'm Sasuke's guest from what Kaito tells me, I'm helping Shikamaru with the girl so I can become a doctor worthy enough to work along side Tsunade."

"That's some dream. She's the greatest doctor in the world."

"I'm confident and Sasuke owes me a favor that he plans to repay me with by letting me stay here and prove that I'm worthy enough to work with Tsunade he said he'd contact her. Besides, I have a goal I have to accomplish and I need Tsunade to do it."

"Oh really? And what's that because if it's to marry our lord it's not-"

"Hardly." Sakura interjected quickly. "Marriage is the farthest thing from my intentions."

"Well if you aren't secretly trying to marry Sasuke what-"

"Like you told me, I'll have to get to know you better to tell you the details."

Kiba blinked before laughing. "You're definitely a keeper, miss Sakura! I'll be looking forward to seeing you around. You are, after all the first woman to stay here in a long time."

"Really? Who was the other one?"

"Sasuke's mom. Do I sense jealous?" Kiba asked with a small laugh. "You wish." Sakura sniffed before they jumped at the sound of glass breaking and shouts from in the kitchen.

When they hurried into the kitchen the two had to duck at the plate being hurdled toward them. They had stumbled on a fight between Naruto, Sai, and two other men with matching bowl hair cuts, bushy eyebrows, white cook hats and aprons and underneath green jumpsuits.

To Sakura they looked absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm telling you there's really a girl here!! Her name is Sakura! Sasuke wants to make her known to everyone in the castle; that's why he wants dinner to be served in the courtyard!!" Naruto protested loudly as he dodged a wooden spoon.

"Lies in my kitchen!! Sasuke-sama would never allow a woman in here!! I know this because I have cooked for him since he was 2 feet tall and never in my days has he ever brung a woman into this castle!!" the older man had shouted. Out of all the men she had come across since she arrived, he seemed middle-aged, but still full of life.

"Agreed, Gai-sensei!!" the younger replica replied enthusiastically. He seemed a year older than Sakura and the other men her age. "Naruto, you can not expect me and Gai-sensei to believe you are telling the truth! We all know that he himself forbade everyone from letting a woman 15 feet near the front gates!"

"But he's telling the truth, Lee, Gai-san." Sai agreed stepping forward with his stoic expression and onxy eyes Sakura would have been convinced he was Sasuke.

"I refuse to believe liars!! I won't announce dinner in the courtyard if I don't get proof that a woman has been brought willingly on castle grounds!!"

"After all, the last time we had dinner in the courtyard was when Uchiha-sama's mother was still ali-"

"AHEM-" Kiba coughed loudly as the four focused their attention on him. "He's telling the truth, see?" he told them as he pointed to Sakura who was standing awkwardly next to him.

Then the two, Lee and Gai's mouths dropped to the floor as Naruto exclaimed her name happily.

"She's…she's…" the two stammered in awe.

"-Real?" Naruto grinned as he walked over to her and murmured, "You have no idea how glad I am that you came."

"I can see that." She murmured back before Naruto turned back to face the two green-suited cooks.

"Gai, Lee, this is Haruno Sakura; Sasuke's guest and if he were here he'd tell you to treat her with the respect you give him."

The two, still gawking, came to their senses and scooted themselves over to her,

"Well hello Miss Sakura!! My such a pretty girl, no wonder Sasuke chose you!" Gai exclaimed happily.

"What-no you have it all wrong I'm not-"

"Ah, I envy Uchiha-sama very much right now!!" Lee also exclaimed as he eyed her closely.

"But I'm not-"

"When were you going to show up at our door Miss Sakura? It must have been tough for your family, not being able to come as you please to the Uchiha castle 'till now." Gai told her sympathetically as they circled around her.

"Uchiha-sama is a very lucky man, having such a beautiful girl by his side. It must not be easy, being in love with the Lord of Konoha…"

"You guys have it all wrong!! Me and Sasuke aren't-"

"SHE'S EVEN DROPPED THE SUFFIX FROM HIS NAME!!! My, they must be madly love!! Lee!! Why haven't YOU found such a faithful girl be your side?!"

"FOR THAT LAST TIME I'M NOT SASUKE'S-" Sakura started as she grew louder but they hushed her.

"Ah, I see, such a modest girl!! We shall keep your and Sasuke's affair a secret for the time being. I understand that it would be hard on your family if the town knew that you and the Lord are together; since he has many idols and hopeful brides that come to his door." Gai told her as he put a hand on her shoulder again. "I will alert the other chefs to set up dinner in the courtyard for the entire castle, but for now you must leave us to be on time!! Naruto! Sai! Kiba! Take Miss Sakura up to her room. Miss Sakura please dress formally for the gathering. I see now that Sasuke-sama is going to introduce you to the people of Uchiha castle tonight!! Ahh, the power of youth in love!! Now leave us!!" he boomed before pushing them out and exclaiming to Lee that all the excitement was making him feel "young again"

"Sorry about that…those two are a little strange." Naruto told her with a grin.

"Ahh, but they're the best chefs in the house though, so we can't get rid of them." Kiba added and chuckled as if he had remembered something.

"They're also very dependable and get things done in a timely fashion." Sai also added quietly.

"It's alright, it makes everything more interesting." Sakura told them with a light smile. But it faded when she realized that Gai had told her to dress formally. She hadn't dressed formally for anything in her life. Sure, she had kimonos her mother had left her, but she failed miserably when it came to doing hair and make-up. She would need a "woman's touch" on something like this.

"…Naruto, can you do me a favor-"she started to ask when she her voice trailed off and she found herself looking at someone standing at the end of the hallway. That's when her eyes widened with horror and she let out a scream.

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Sasuke sighed as he ran his finger over the files. _'I wish Kaito was in here…finding that girl's background would help everyone out a lot…' _he thought frustratingly.

"Can I help you look for anything, Sasuke?" Kaito asked in a fatigued tone as he walked over to him.

He sighed once more before running a hand through his raven hair. "Sort of. I know I've seen her before…those eyes…"

"Really? Well, let's narrow it down. Midnight blue hair and dark eyes, fair skin, timid attributes…" Kaito sat down on a table behind them, "Do you remember where you've seen those eyes?"

Sasuke closed his eyes trying to remember. "I'm not sure. I think at one of my father's meetings or dinner parties…"

"Think hard. Who did they belong to?"

Sasuke fell silent for awhile. When he opened them his eyes flashed red for a split second before he turned back to Kaito. "I think they belonged to one of the neighboring clans. Do you think she could belong to one of the neighboring branch families?"

"It's a possibility. Let's check."

The two worked side-by-side as they searched for through the important neighboring clans. That's when Sasuke sighed.

"Kaito this is impossible. My father used to bring everyone from around the world to his parties and meetings to strengthen alliances-"but when he dropped a small picture of someone, as he bent down to pick it up he realized it was a younger version of the girl in the infirmary.

"Is that her?" Kaito asked him, hiding a smile.

"It came out of the Hyuuga family…" Sasuke mumbled as he looked at the back of the photo. In big letters it read HYUUGA HINATA.

"Well looks like you've found out her identity. Now, let's see what we can find in the Hyuuga file." He told him with a pleased expression.

"Oi, Kaito," Sasuke told him in a low tone as they opened the large file and skimmed through the pictures and documents.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"…I don't know what I would do without you being my advisor. If you weren't here I might have been here for another 2 hours, searching through all the clans."

"I never doubted you for a second, Sasuke." He told him with a chuckle.

Sasuke gawked at him. "How is that?"

"You found out that she was from the Hyuuga clan and that her name was Hinata. You're perfectly capable of finding things; you just need a little push sometimes."

The raven-haired man looked down quietly. "I need more than just a push and you know it you old geezer..." he mumbled until his eyes met the family tree and his eyes widened.

He snatched it up and skimmed through it several times before setting it down slowly.

"Did you figure out something, Sasuke?" Kaito asked as he looked at him leaning over on the table.

"Aah...Hyuuga Hinata isn't just a Hyuuga clan member…she's-"

"SASUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!" Naruto yelled as he ran into the library out of breath.

Sasuke hurried to the entrance of the library to see Naruto looking troubled. "What is it Naruto?!"

"There's two things, come with me!!" Naruto told him as he grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the room.

"N-Naruto what's your-"

"It's Sakura and the girl you found!! Hurry!!!" he told him as they sprinted down the hall.

'_Sakura…'_ Sasuke thought as his heart started to beat out of his chest and he imagined the worst. "Tell me where they are now!!"

**To Be Continued**

** I decided to end it a little more dramatically. And I'm SO SORRY that I've been gone for so long, I don't really have an excuse besides a lot of stuff has been going on and things haven't been really good for me. But they're getting better hopefully!!**

**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	15. Thank You

**Till The Last Rose Dies**

**I uploaded really soon and I refused to sit down and truly edit anything so forgive me if you come across a mistake and it sucks. It's because I got impatient and I had an ADD moment :) ****  
**

**Special Thanks To MY AMAZING READERS!!:**

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"Tell me where they are NOW." Sasuke told him as he yanked Naruto along, ignoring his cries as he told him his feet was leaving the ground because he was going too fast.

"WHOA SASUKE SLOW DOWN!!!!" Naruto yelled at him as he managed to lean back on his heels as an attempt to slow the panicking lord down.

"I'm not kidding around, Naruto. Where is Sakura- what happened to her is she alright-"

"Calm down, Sasuke they're in the infirmary, Kiba and Sai took the two there while I ran and got you-"

But before he could finish Sasuke was dragging him down the flights of stairs.

"Keep talking." Sasuke commanded him as he hurried down the corridors. The guards passing by leaped out of the way to avoid being ran over by him.

"I'm not sure how, but the girl got out of the infirmary and hurried over to her. Then all of a sudden Sakura went all stiff and fell over. That girl isn't normal, Sasuke she's-"

"Exactly. Her name's Hinata from the Hyuuga clan." Sasuke interjected as the continued down to the first floor.

"What!! The Hyuuga clan? What's she doing in the Uchiha district??"

"I'm not sure but that clan isn't one to mess with. It doesn't help that she's the heiress herself-"

"THE HEIRESS!! OH MAN- WE NEED TO GET HER OUTTA HERE!!! Sasuke do you wanna start a war?!! If they find out that their heiress is gone they'll-"

"I'm aware of the consequences, but you don't realize that if we bring her back in the condition she is they'll assume we did something to her. It'll break off our alliance with them and they'll try to over throw me. Besides, she's mute, so she can't speak on our defense."

"So what are we supposed to do Sasuke?!! If they somehow find out that we have their heiress-"

"Relax. I'll think of something, but right now we have to find out if Sakura is okay." Sasuke told him as they jogged into the infirmary to be greeted by Kiba and Sai who were sitting on one of the benches as Naruto bent over to catch his breath.

"Ah- Sasuke-san, Sakura's-"

"Where is she?" Sasuke demanded in a dangerous tone. The two men looked at him fearfully as his eyes started to flash a bloody red color.

"T-This way." Kiba replied as he led them down the hall and into a room on the left. There they found Shikamaru sitting beside Sakura who was lying down in the bed.

Once he saw her okay, he started to relax and his eyes turned their normal obsidian color.

"Shikamaru what happened?" Sasuke asked in a calmer tone, but every nerve in his body was still tense.

The man was silent for awhile, staying stiff and not turning around to face him.

"Shikamaru answer me." He told him tensely.

"…I don't know, Sasuke. The girl woke up when I got done giving the girl her shots… I looked into her eyes, only for a second. And the next thing I knew, I found myself on the ground and she was gone."

"What?" he demanded as he looked to his right. There, the girl across Sakura's bed, unconscious.

"Mmh…" Sakura murmured as she opened her eyes and sat up, letting her long pink locks fall into her face.

"Sakura- Sakura-chan!" Sasuke and Naruto exclaimed with equal relief.

She met the eyes of men staring at her, then looked around. "Where...am I?" she asked quietly.

"The infirmary. Naruto told me you ran into the girl, Hinata, and walked over to her then you went stiff and fell over. What happened?" Sasuke asked her with concern as he walked over to her side.

Sakura met his obsidian eyes before looking down again. "…I'm not sure… but…"

"_What are you doing out of the infirmary?" Sakura told her kindly as she walked down the hall slowly. _

_The girl didn't budge but seemed to be frozen._

"_I'm not sure why Shikamaru let you wander around by yourself but you need to stay off your fee-oh my god…" Sakura murmured as she stared into the girl's eyes she noticed that they were no longer dark, but the pupils were white and on the sides of her eyes were veins and if she were straining._

_That's when she girl slowly raised her two fingers and pressed them into her stomach._

_Though it was a light touch Sakura felt as though thousands of needles had pierced her body and she could no longer breathe. That's when her vision blurred and felt herself falling into darkness._

"All she did was touch you and you blacked out? How is that possible?" Naruto asked loudly as he stared at the unconscious girl.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know. But that girl isn't normal, and that wasn't any ordinary touch…I think- she could have killed me."

Silence followed as the unsaid horror filled the air.

"…Kill you?" Sasuke repeated softly. Sakura nodded. "But I don't think she was looking at me. I think…she saw someone else."

"Like who? How could anyone mistake a pink-headed girl for someone else?" Kiba blurted out wildly.

"Not like that, you idiot. She meant it was as like she wasn't all there; like she was reliving a memory. Perhaps she thought you were the rapist?" Shikamaru asked her, finally finding his composure again.

"I don't think that's it. I think if she thought I was the man who raped her, she would have killed me instantly. I think…she thought that Naruto, Kiba, or Sai was him, but I merely got in the way of it."

"So she thought you were an accomplice?" Sai asked, speaking up. "But why?" Kiba asked.

"When people go through trauma they sometimes…hallucinate. Some forget a devastating event; others relive it and psychologically make it a reality, though they aren't normally this dangerous." Shikamaru explained.

Sasuke looked at Hinata who was still unconscious. _'How can such an innocent looking girl be so dangerous?'_

'_Well either way Sasuke you'll have to have guards watching her from here on out.'_His thoughts warned him.

'_She's only dangerous when she relives those thoughts. I mean she was awake for a few seconds before she came here and-'_

'_Do you wanna risk getting Sakura hurt again? She already told you that if she was serious that Hinata would have killed her. Do you want to risk that? What happens if she goes berserk again?'_

His thoughts had a point. He didn't want Sakura hurt as much as the next guy but when he thought back to how he had acted when Naruto had told him that something had happened to her…he had never reacted that way about anything.

'_Maybe you do have feelings for her after all.'_ His thoughts reasoned. But he shook his head. _'She's my responsibility while she's staying here. I owe her, she has a full life ahead of her and goals to accomplish freely. I want to help her obtain those goals.'_

'_Or maybe you just want to be by her side?' _his thoughts smirked. But he ignored them as he spoke to Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru, while she's staying here I want the best guards protecting her 24/7."

"Sasuke that's unreasonable!!" Sakura protested as she looked at him wildly. Was this guy nuts?!

"Sakura-"

"How would you feel if you had to be kept watch all the time; every little move you made, they became suspicious?"

"She's dangerous, Sakura she could have killed you, you said so yourself-"

"I understand that, but the more you keep watch over her, there's a better chance that she'll panic and go berserk again, and I'm sure that you don't want your best men to be murdered." She interjected roughly.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" he demanded. What was her problem? The girl almost kills her and when he tries to make sure that never happens again she gets mad? So much for caring.

Sakura fell silent before speaking. "Monitor her actions, but not 24/7. She's mute, not stupid. I'm sure that once she gets out of here I'll talk to her and make her comfortable. Besides, all I have to do is keep my distance from her body and not look into her eyes when they go white and the veins start popping out."

"But what happens if it's not that si-"

But Naruto butted in. He put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Sasuke, just trust her. Maybe Sakura-chan's right about this. I know that if I was monitored 24/7 by big scary guys I'd snap after awhile too!"

Finally, Sasuke gave a defeated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll trust you on this but if you get hurt-"

"I'll risk it." Sakura interjected gently as she climbed out of bed despite Shikamaru's protests and calling her "troublesome". "I want to become a doctor worthy to work beside Tsunade. I know that I'll have to deal with crazy, dangerous patients once in awhile who'll hurt me," she explained as she walked over to him.

"But…thank you. For worrying about me." Sakura finished as she looked up at him. For a split second jade met obsidian and fair skin turned a cherry color before she turned to look at the rest of the men. "All of you. I think I'm going to enjoy staying here."

Everyone exchanged smiles as Naruto put an arm around her and Sasuke's shoulders before giving them a goofy grin. Sakura didn't seem to mind as she eyed Sasuke for the corner of her eyes as she pondered with her thoughts.

'…_They were worried about me. HE was worried about me.'_

'_That's because you mean more to him than you think, Sakura.' _Her inner self told her with a grin which made her cheeks go pink. Besides Ino and her family she had never really been cared about.

As Sasuke and Sakura's eyes met again, a loud rumble made them jump and look away. It happened to be Naruto, who had a pained look on his face as his stomach roared hungrily.

"Are we going to eat anytime soon…?" he complained as he held his stomach. "We were out all day, and I didn't even eat lunch…"

"We just had an incident and all you can think about is your stomach?" Shino asked him. Sakura jumped when she heard his low voice coming from the door way. He had been so quiet she had forgotten he was there.

"Haha, that's Naruto for ya!" Kiba laughed as he grinned at Naruto who was pouting. "Well Sakura-chan is fine and Hinata is knocked out cold, so the incident is over! Unlike you guys I'm starving and I actually care about dinner. Can we go now? Gai said that Sakura-chan has to get dressed all fancy-like because you're gonna introduce her to everyone."

Sasuke gawked at him and Sakura groaned as she had completely forgotten about getting dressed formally.

"How long is dinner from now?" Sasuke asked Sai who thought about it for a minute. "Well, because it's gonna be in the courtyard…probably about an hour and a half from now."

Naruto groaned loudly as Sakura pondered what to do. "…You guys? Do you think you could do me a favor?"

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"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!" Shikamaru protested loudly as he put his hands in his hair. Sakura frowned "Well why not? I need Ino get help me get ready. I fail miserably at formality.

Sasuke chuckled under his breath as he imagined her trying to put on lipstick but smearing it all over her face. She seemed to read his mind as she shot him a piercing look.

"One woman is trouble enough!! We don't need another loud obnoxious blonde around here!! That's what Naruto is for!"

"HEY!!" Naruto protested as he glared at the man as Sakura walked over to him. "You sexist son-of-a-"

"Oi, Sakura." Sasuke stopped her as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Wha- Sasuke-"

"Sai, take Sakura to one of the kagos and send her to town to get Ino." Sasuke told him. Shikamaru's mouth dropped while Sakura's brightened happily.

"But Sasuke she's-"

"I know. But she isn't staying the night. She's just coming to help Sakura get ready." He replied calmly.

"Besides, you know how Gai gets. He told her to dress formally, and he IS serving the food so-" Kiba added with a grossed-out look on his face.

"Fine. She can stay as long as dinner but no longer than that. I refuse to hear her voice all night. We already have TWO troublesome women here after all…" Shikamaru answered, accepting defeat.

Sakura grinned and hurried over to him. She opened her mouth to say something and looked as if she were going to throw her arms around him, but decided to just to murmur a "thank you" quietly before following Sai out of the room.

Naruto put a hand on his shoulder before he whispered, "You're falling for her."

Sasuke closed his eyes as he hid a smile. "If you don't get off me YOUR ass is going out the window." And that seemed good enough for him as his smile faded and he backed off.

'_Things are going to get interesting around here…' _Sasuke thought to himself with an amused gleam in his eye as he watched Sakura hurry off.

**To Be Continued …**

**:) I love messing with you guys haha. But I didn't really leave you with a horrible-dying-to-know cliff hanger this time. I love you guys. I really do, everytime I sign on I see that I have new reviewers and every time I upload I have at least one new reader **

**I sorta made Sasuke a little OOC I guess because he did show a lot more emotion than he has, but it makes it all the more interesting. ) **

**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx **


	16. How Beautiful You Truly Are

** hey guys! I'm a little late in uploading. Spring tennis just started up and I finally got to snowboard last nite so I've been purty tired…but we get a day off today so I decided "why not upload" :)**

**BY THE WAY! I found out Sasuke's mom's real name :D! I didn't even know she had one…now if I could find out Sakura's….but anyway it's Mikoto .**

**I'm really happy with all my comments I've been getting including the advice. I realized that last chapter had A LOT of dialogue which is the result of my impatience XD. So now you guys know, if I rush anything it won't be AS good. I have TONS of new ideas I can't wait to see how they unfold.**

**I'm also EXTREMELY happy with the number of readers/reviewers/commenters this time including 6 new readers this time. Sooooo:**

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Sakura and Sai walked together in silence as they made their way down the long hall. It had been about 10 minutes before Sai worked up the nerve to say something.

"So…what brings you here, Miss Sakura?" he asked quietly as he looked at his feet. It had been so long since he had been next to a girl…was this a feeling of nervousness?

"I have my own reasons. But Sasuke invited me here since he owed me favor." Sakura answered as she continued to look forward. _'I have to be careful just in case this guy snaps and tries to haul me over his shoulder to kick me out…'_

"Sasuke-san…owed YOU a favor?" Sai asked trying to hide his shock. This was a surprise since no one had ever seen him talk to let alone show any emotion to a woman besides his late mother.

"Is it that hard to believe?" she asked, turning to look at him. Sai refused to make eye contact as he looked up, trying to act normal. "I meant no disrespect, Miss Sakura. It's just that-"

"-You have never seen Sasuke talk to any girl but his mother. I know. Everyone seems to be telling me that, but I don't really believe it."

"Is that so?"

"Aah. I mean, I've talked to him normally before I even knew who he was, he didn't seem hostile like you guys say he is. Shikamaru is a different story though."

The two walked in silence once more as they made their way through the double doored entrance to the castle. The guards outside who were still puzzled by Sakura's appearance lead them down to the gates.

As Sai talked to the guards about readying a kago, Sakura's mind wandered off as she looked back at the large castle and the people inside.

'_She's dangerous, Sakura she could have killed you, you said so yourself-'_

'…_What am I supposed to do?'_

'_I'll trust you on this but if you get hurt-'_

Thinking about what Sasuke had said made her cheeks turn red and her heart beat slightly faster. Had he just been worried because she was his responsibility? Or was there something else behind the panic in his voice and the frustration in her rationality when she opposed him?

'_Isn't it clear to see Sakura? He obviously has feelings for you. Otherwise he wouldn't have freaked out.'_

'_He's a lord and I'm one of his people. If I was him I wouldn't have freaked out too. I mean, if I ended up hurt or dead in his castle…that's bad publicity.'_

'_PUH-LEAZE!! Do you think he cares about his popularity and bad publicity? I don't think so. Otherwise he wouldn't have been running from his fan club the other day or let you into his castle by yourself. He would have had other women and made it into some weird reality TV show.'_

Her inner thoughts had a point. Sasuke didn't put himself out as a person to care about his image or who liked him or hated him, but she had just met him yesterday? Is it even possible to fall for someone that quick?

'_Anything is possible in this world (__**and plot I created :P**__) Sakura.'_

"Miss Sakura? Are you alright?" Sai asked as him and the two guards stared at her strangely. As she snapped out of her mind-wandering conversation she stared at them. "Huh?"

"Your eyes got this hazy look over them and you were standing incredibly still…not to mention you seem a little flushed. Are you sure you're alright?"

Sakura faked a reassuring smile and held up her hands. "O-Of course I am!! I'm just fine, let's go. The sooner we get to the flower shop the better." And she plunged into the kago head first.

The guards, Sai, and the men holding the kago all exchanged puzzled looks.

"She's a strange one, Sai-san." One of the guards murmured to him as he nodded. "But she must be something special if Sasuke-san owes her a favor and is letting her stay here." And with that, he climbed into the kago and they were off.

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Once they arrived at the flowershop, sprinted through the door to avoid any curious on-lookers from catching a glimpse of them and found Ino, things didn't go exactly as planned.

"Ino I-"

"SAKURA!! You're back so soon?! What happened? Are you ok? Do you need medical attention? Whose ass do you need me to kick??"

"Ino I'm fine I just need-"

"I knew this whole staying at his castle was a bad idea!! Did he try to throw himself on you?!! I knew that innocent, playing hard-to-get attitude was too good to be true!! He better not show his face in this flower shop again or I'll-"

"AHEM." Sai grunted as he looked away. Ino who had been oblivious to his presence finally noticed him. "Whose this?"

"My name is Sai and I-"

"Well hello Mr. Sai…what brings you to our humble abode?" Ino interjected as she scooted herself next to him and batted her eyelashes. Sakura sighed. This was going to be a long day.

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"Sasuke I'm hungry…why can't we eat now?" Naruto complained as he searched through a stack of papers. The two had gone upstairs to find more information on Hinata while Shikamaru and Shino ran tests on her on the first floor and Kiba went to help Gai and Lee in the kitchen.

"Because it's not ready yet, dobe. What do you think?" Sasuke replied dully without looking up as he flipped through his own stack of papers. Naruto sat on the desk with a sigh and held his stomach. "Why couldn't he just give me a sample of the food or something? He could have at least told us what he was going to make…"

"That's not his style. He doesn't tell us so we can't complain if it's something we don't like."

"But that makes me all the more curious…besides there really isn't anything I don't like." He grinned as his eyes caught an article. "Hey…what's this?"

"What does it say?"

"…How many people in Konoha have green eyes besides Sakura-chan, Sasuke?"

"I don't know. It's not common. Why?"

"Is this Sakura's father? He looks sort of like her." Naruto replied as he handed him the article. Sasuke read aloud:

"**Hideaki Haruno: Dead or Alive:**- it's an old newspaper article." Sasuke paused. "After supposedly marrying the beautiful pink-haired beauty, Sachiko of Konoha who had become pregnant with his first child and unfortunately had a miscarriage things grief took a toll on them. Luckily, though, she had a successful pregnancy and had a daughter who they named Sakura for her pink hair and glowing green eyes."

After the first half, Naruto took over. "Disappointed by getting a daughter instead of a son, he spend several days-even months away from home only to come back for short periods of time. It has been reported that he has gone to see Fugaku-sama, who had taken over after his grandfather who was becoming old, and married a woman called Mikoto who bore him two sons, Itachi and Sasuke. When Mikoto died of an uncharted illness, Fugaku-sama and Hideaki feuded, and their friendship had fallen to pieces. 2 months later his own wife Sachiko died of a similar uncharted illness but diagnosed as a supposedly stress/depressed induced one. He did not return- ne, Sasuke do you think that Sakura-chan's dad was in love with Mikoto-nee-san?" Naruto asked him when he finished the article.

Sasuke didn't look up from the article as if he was deep in thought. _'He was disappointed that Sakura came out a girl and not a boy…and he was obviously in love with __**my**__ mother who probably kept my father and Hideaki's friendship together…but when she died all was lost…and it didn't help that Sakura's mother died as well. But what happened to him after he left…? Is he really dead?'_

Without answering Naruto he continued to search through the papers and worked in silence.

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After a lot of persuasion and explaining, Ino agreed to help Sakura with her attire and makeup.

"Sakura, you are truly pitiful, you know that? I mean you're a woman and you can't even do your own make-up worse you didn't bring any nice kimonos for special occasions?" she criticized as she brushed her cheeks lightly with a rosy blush.

"What was I supposed to expect? I was going as a doctor-in-training, not some harlot trying to get him eloped."

"You're hopeless. EVERYONE knows that when you're a guest at a lord's castle you bring your best clothes and accessories. You don't want to look like trash in front of him; you need to give him a…classy appearance." Ino explained roughly.

"…Well forgive me for not realizing that since we ALL know I get invited to be a lord's doctor every day." Sakura retorted as Ino grabbed a thinner brush and dabbed it into a black liquid.

"I'm doing YOUR makeup. Don't mess with me just because this room is a little hot and your big head needs more air." She reminded her as she held up the brush intimidatingly.

"I'm shaking." She replied as she hid a smile while Ino carefully ran the brush over her eyelashes and made them darker. "What did you put on my eyelashes? They feel sticky…"

"They call it mascara so don't touch it yet. It's still wet." The blonde instructed as she dipped another brush into a cherry red balm and colored her lips until they were a pouty red.

"You look like a porcelain doll Sakura!! Just wait till you see yourself ooh you'll just love it!! I knew a little makeup would do you some good…uncurl those curlers from your hair while I pick out a kimono for you…"

Vigorously, Sakura unrolled the scroll-like things from her hair and sighed with relief. It felt like the pressure from the curlers were threatening to squeeze her head flat had been immediately lifted.

As she sat in the stool she twirled a perfect, spirally pink curl around her finger. Anxiety was mysteriously building up inside her. What was this feeling in the pit of her stomach? It was a mixture or impatience and fear.

'_You want to see yourself…and you want Sasuke to like what he sees tonight.'_

'_It's not like that at all.'_ She explained to her inner self once more. What was her thoughts and Sasuke that made her torment her so?

'_Oh, really? Tell that to your stomach, stupid. Why else would you get this feeling? Besides, you've been thinking about him since you got here. Admit that you want to look pretty for him.'_

'_I won't admit something that isn't true. I've been thinking about other things. More…important things. Might I remind you that I'm probably only going to be staying for a month? At least until Hinata is healed, I mean you can't keep a heiress of another neighboring royal family for long and expect everything to be alright-'_

"Sakura! Let's try this one on! Now, this might take awhile, it's 3 layers…" Ino sung as she came back with a toothy grin. Sakura sighed. It was going to be a long night.

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"…I feel stupid, Ino. I don't want to go." Sakura complained with her eyes shut tightly.

"How…can you Sakura?! You look _beautiful_…" Ino murmured as she lead the girl out to the front of the shop to where Sai was waiting patiently.

When his eyes fell upon Sakura he seemed to lose all dignity and let his mouth drop in shock. "Oh…dear god..." he muttered under his breath.

"Was that Sai? See Ino I look stupid just let me take these off-"

"Look at yourself. NOW. Open your eyes." Ino grinned. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to see Sai with his mouth open, and her best friend with a strangely goofy grin on her face as she held up a mirror.

Finally, she laid eyes on herself and she gave a loud gasp. Because there, staring back at her was a woman with rose cheeks, cherry lips, long pink hair with flowing curls and wearing a beautiful, form-shaping kimono which was a silky white with flowing pink petals down the hem and a black flowered sash snugly around her waist. But what stood out the most was her eyes that illuminated her figure completely; since her eyelashes had been darkened more attention had been drawn to her jade colored eyes.

"Is…that me?" she in a barely audible tone as she touched her face. Ino put her hands on her shoulders and grinned. "I told you a little extra work would do you some good. Sai-kun, I think you can take Sakura back to the castle. Make sure to inform Sasuke-sama will be paying me double for my services tonight."

Sai managed to nod as he gestured Sakura to the door. "OH! I almost forgot- Sakura, take this bag. It's filled with kimonos and a little makeup bag in it. Don't worry, I didn't even use a lot on you. Just think about what you would look like if I really had time to give you a full makeover."the blonde woman told her as she handed her a large duffle bag.

"Ino…I don't know how to than-"

"Don't even worry about it! It was about time you learned just how beautiful you truly are. Now go on and infatuate that entire castle." Ino told her with a smile as she pushed the two gently out the door. As Sakura loaded into the kago she watched Ino wave and wink. Though it boosted her confidence slightly, it made the feeling of anxiety and fear rise past its unknown height.

But smirk seemed to pass her features as her mind said this to her.

'_Get ready Uchiha Sasuke, because I'm ready to blow you away.'_

**To be continued**

**I decided to end it here for you guys. Haha sorry. You must hate me ;). I intended to make it longer, but my eyes are starting to hurt from staring at this screen for over an hour…**

**So till nxt time (which will probably be today or tomorrow!!)**

**xxasukachanxx**


	17. Everyone, Meet Haruno Sakura

**Hey guys I decided to update a lil sooner because I think you guys are awesome and I left a cliff hanger for you guys and…if I were you, I would be throwing chairs because despite my patience when there's something I want I can be EXTREMELY impatient :)**

**WOW my amazing new readers…you guys rock. Like seriously. If you can read over 10 CHAPTERS in ONE SITTING and STILL have the eyesight to review/comment the story YOU FREAKEN AMAZE ME. I feel so touched…I feel like my stories are worth reading now –sniff- I truly love you guys.**

**TO MY AMAZING READERS: **

**The AMAZING new ones :) (please stick by me till the end!!):**

**sandwich-chan**

**xx-tenshi-xx**

**bratz7704**

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**My Current AMAZING readers :) (you honestly complete me and I would be so sad if I didn't see your comments every chapter):**

**PASSIONS244**

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**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**Rawriamabanana**

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'_Get ready Uchiha Sasuke, because I'm ready to blow you away.' _Sakura thought as she stepped out of the kago with her new found confidence eating away at her fear but boosting the anxiety.

The entire ride to the castle had been a silent one, for Sai could not find his voice despite the many attempts. Without being asked, he took the large duffle bag Ino had given her and with a grunt he carried waddled to double doored castle.

When they reached the doors the two guards standing on either side had different reactions; the guard on the left picked at the cloth robe he had on under his armor as he started to sweat while the other made stammering noises and eyes the size of dinner plates made Sakura smirk but slyly turned it into a smile.

Without hesitation the guards opened the doors and lowered their heads as they watched the mysterious pink-haired woman walk in with Sai from the corner of their eyes.

'_I have a feeling tonight is going to be a fun one. For me at least.'_ Sakura thought to herself with a mischievous smile.

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"Uchiha-sama, Naruto-san, dinner shall be served in 15 minutes." Called a guard outside the door of Sasuke's office.

"Aah." The lord replied as he ran a hand through his raven hair. It had been over an hour and they hadn't found anything on Hinata that would be of importance to anyone and Naruto had already fallen asleep under a stack of papers.

Sasuke stood up and picked up a light scroll before walking around his desk and over to Naruto. With a smirk he let the scroll drop on his face, which made him wake up with a jolt

"YELLOW!!! –er…good morning Sasuke. I just had the funniest dream…you and Sakura were there and were eating ramen when-"

"If you want food, get cleaned up." Sasuke interjected as he helped Naruto pick up the piles of papers scattered around him.

Excitedly, he picked up his pace. Naruto had never once, since coming to the Uchiha castle, had he been late for dinner. In record timing, Sasuke's office was nice and tidy with large stacks of papers piled on his desk.

"I wonder if Sai and Sakura-chan is back...and if Ino is with them." Naruto told his friend aloud. Sasuke hn'ed as he tuned out Naruto's ramblings. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was also wondering if Sakura had returned and if she had gotten dressed formally like Gai had asked.

'_I'm here as a doctor, not to leisurely stay here.'_ He imagined her say, and it made him smirk. It wouldn't surprise him if she came in jeans and a casual shirt, though it would definitely brighten the castles mood if she had gone through the trouble to dress up.

The two went up to Sasuke's room to get dressed for the occasion. It was in the courtyard after all.

"Ne, Sasuke what are you going to say when they see Sakura?" Naruto asked as he threw off his shirt and rummaged through Sasuke's wardrobe.

He shrugged as he threw his off as well. "I'm not sure yet. I'll think of something."

Naruto grinned. "That's just your style; you don't think of anything to say 'till the last minute, but you'll probably still sound like the cool bastard you are."

Though he didn't reply to this, he smirked. What could he say? It took years of practice.

Without combing their hair, Sasuke dressed in a dark blue haori bearing the Uchiha fan on the back with the matching hakama while Naruto had a similar one only it was orange and black.

As they exited the room the two were escorted by two guards who bowed to Sasuke and nodded to Naruto.

"Sakura-san is waiting on the other side of the castle to appear next to you at the beginning of the ceremony. I'm pleased to say that her appearance is very becoming." One of the guards explained to him. Puzzled but keeping a stoic appearance, Sasuke nodded. He and Naruto exchanged looks, but his blonde friend merely shrugged hopelessly.

Just what did he mean by 'her appearance is very becoming', and the more he thought about it, the more anxiety had appeared in the pit of his stomach

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"This way, Sakura-san." One of the two guards escorting her explained. She frowned as she refrained from playing with one of her pink locks to appear professional. The men were starting to give her lustful looks from behind their eyes, and having Sai shooed away to get ready for the dinner wasn't helping.

It meant she would be left alone until she was called in, which would be when Sasuke was done giving an opening speech.

As she was lead down the long hall, a sigh escaped her. "Is there something wrong, Sakura-san?" asked the guard. She noted that they were being extremely polite to her. She faked a smile and shook her head. "No, but how long will I have to wait for Sasuke to call me out?"

"When he gives us the signal, my partner and I will escort you over to Uchiha-sama's left. Naruto-san will be on his right." The guard explained.

"I see. Sasuke sure has everything in order here. He has this whole ceremony planned out and everything." Sakura told the guard, but he didn't seem to be listening, so she added. "How long have you been at the Uchiha castle?"

The guard seemed to be pleased by her sudden interest in him. "As long as I could remember. The late lord, Fugaku-sama had hired me when he was still in rule- and alive…"

As the guard rambled on, Sakura tuned out as she waited by the courtyard entrance, waiting for Sasuke and Naruto to appear on what appeared to be a long stage about 3 feet off the ground with a long, low table centered on it. The other tables were placed on the ground where hundreds of servants and guards were. Shikamaru, Sai, Sasuke, Naruto and the others were nowhere in sight.

"Um…do all the younger men sit with Sasuke? On that stage-like thing?" Sakura interrupted the guard who was now rambling on about dumplings. He cleared his throat before answering, realizing now that she hadn't listened to a word he said.

"Aah. Usually the ones sitting next to or near him are closest to him; it's also set by rank with the exception of Naruto. The elders also sit with him-"

But before he could say anymore, the murmuring of the people quieted, which motioned for silence; the ceremony was about to start.

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Sasuke sighed as two guards escorted Naruto and him out. Shikamaru, Sai, Kiba, Shino, and the other young men including Lee followed behind.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to say yet?" Naruto murmured to him as they stiffly walked out and sat down in front of the people.

"Not a clue. Where's Sakura?" Sasuke murmured back as he looked around without turning his head. Naruto looked around as well before nudging him. "She's in the west wing, so she'll come out on your left…I can't really see her, but she's behind that curtain with two guards-They took her all-the-way around? What a jo-"

But at this point, Sasuke had stopped listening as all but Sakura had been seated. Then, he stood up. _'Here goes…_' he breathed to himself. "You all are probably wondering why you were called here." He paused to watch several nodded and mutter something to their neighbor. "But I assure you that this ceremony is utmost importance."

Sasuke turned to his left and gestured the elder on the farthest end of the table to call the guards in with Sakura. When the guards lifted the curtain so she could stepped out, everyone seemed to gasp and rise at once. Naruto and Kiba stood with their mouths dropped to the floor while Sasuke who was already standing felt his breath hitch as he felt his eyes grow big and his lips part slightly; trying to control himself.

She was entirely captivating, and had captured the eyes and attention of the entire Uchiha castle.

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Sakura felt her cheeks grow a cherry red behind her blush as she walked slowly over to Sasuke. Hundreds of eyes staring at her made her lose her confidence, so she avoided everyone's eyes- especially the obsidian ones belonging to the man standing next to her.

Things fell silent for a few more minutes as the shock set in; others stared lustfully, while others stood shock at the sight of a woman at their lord's side. Another group was shocked at the beauty and devastation the woman had brought to the castle which was entirely filled with men.

When Sasuke found his voice, he turned back to his people, feeling light-headed as the scent of cherry blossoms filled his nostrils. "A-As you can see I have brought a woman into the castle whom I owe dearly. Her name is Haruno Sakura, and she's training to becoming a doctor worthy enough to work beside the great Tsunade herself with the help of Shikamaru. I ask of you to put your resentments aside for your lord's sake because she is my guest, so I want you to give her the utmost respect as you give me. I won't tolerate anything else." Sasuke explained in a rough tone.

"I-It's nice to meet you all." Sakura told them as she bowed politely.

After closing their mouths which were starting to water and ache from opening so wide, Naruto and Kiba clapped loudly, which made the rest of the castle applaud. When Sakura sat down, the rest of the castle staff followed suit; except for Sasuke who added,

"Please give Gai, Lee, and the rest of the cooking staff for cooking this fabulous dinner for all of us." And without question Gai, Lee, a chubby boy who seemed the same age as Sasuke and the others, a man that looked gruff but around Gai, and 3 elders stood and accepted the applause.

"Now let's eat!!" Naruto exclaimed as he reached for the dinner rolls he had been eyeing-besides Sakura- since the beginning of the ceremony and shoved one into his mouth happily before Sasuke could protest. It started a chain reaction as the rest of the castle grabbed ruthlessly at anything they could find and happily started eating.

Sakura looked at all the food on the table. Despite all the people sitting at the long table, it was enough food to feed a village and every space seemed to be filled.

"A little overwhelmed?" Sasuke asked as he sipped his wine. Their eyes finally met. Sakura shook her head and looked away she sniffed. "Of course not. I- just don't know what to grab first…aren't you a little young to drink Sasuke?"

Sasuke chuckled. "I'm lord of Konoha. I can do whatever I please. Besides, it's mainly squeezed grapes." He replied as he held it up to her nose. He was right.

"You could have everything you could possibly want…I don't get why anyone would be unhappy." Sakura murmured as she sipped her own glass while he set his down. "I told you before. The one thing I want is something I could never have."

"What, freedom? From what? Why would anyone want to leave a life style like this?" Sakura asked wildly. Sasuke chuckled as he watched her guzzle the dark liquid. "Sure, it's nice sometimes- with all the benefits. I can have all the riches I could ever desire, I know all the most powerful people, the best library and hall of records in the world is built in this castle, the food is excellent and my subjects are with me-"

"Not to mention you have a fan club waiting to either tear you limb-by-limb to hang sickly on their bedroom walls or listen to your every whim and fancy. The Konoha women desire you. You have it all…"

"If you saw things through my perspective this life style wouldn't glitter like gold, Sakura." Sasuke explained softly behind his glass. "Think about it. If you could have everything your hearts desire by merely asking, don't you think that after awhile, maybe just a little bit, life would get boring, empty?"

Sakura thought for awhile as she nibbled on a dinner roll. "I guess so…"

"That's why I would trade all this to have a goal, an ambition like you. Sure, life would be hard at times, and people wouldn't have respect for you, but…having a goal like yours is worth living for. "

"Ne, Sasuke-teme, Sakura-chan! Why so much talking?" Naruto asked as he leaned over to Sasuke. Kiba did the same on Sakura's side. "You should be stuffing your face like this bouzo," he added while pointing to Naruto who frowned.

"Who're you calling a bouzo, bouzo?!"

"Obviously all that food went to your head 'cause I just pointed to YOU."

"You wanna fight or something Kiba??"

"Fine with me Naru-"

"OI!!! I don't hear FIGHTING at my dinner table do I?!" Gai demanded as he charged over so he was in front of them on the other side of the table, staring menacingly down at them, for some reason he had a wooden cooking spoon in his hand, as if he was ready to break up any fights.

Fearfully, the two shook their heads and stood up straight before scarfing down what was on their plates quietly. This made Sakura giggle

Noticing this, the bowl hair-cutted, bushy browed man grinned. "You found that funny Miss Sakura? Well, I always thought myself as a funny person. One time back in-"

Sasuke grunted as he gave Gai a look. "Oh. Gomen, Sasuke-san. I'll let you two return to your conversation." He paused to lean closer to them. "_Now if you want a little privacy tonight with your lover you two are welcome to use my-_"

"GOODBYE." Sasuke said loudly as Sakura spit out her drink while Naruto and Kiba choked on a rib after attempting to howl with laughter. With a murderous glare from Sasuke, Gai bowed humbly to Sakura and gave Sasuke a thumbs-up/wink before taking his leave and taking his seat; disappearing behind the many heads of people seated.

"Sorry about that. He's…different." Sasuke murmured to her. Sakura shook her head while the two mutually moved a few inches away from each other. "It's alright. I met him in the kitchen with Kiba when I went to find Naruto and Sai.."

The rest of the night went smoothly as Sakura was introduced to the elders, the chubby but kind boy named Chouji, and the other older man who looked like he could really take someone out named Asuma. She also talked with the guards who kindly told her they were welcome to show her around when they weren't on their shift.

When the food had been devoured and everyone was full, they started to clear out; Sai left with the guards while Lee left with Gai, Chouji, and the cooks and elders disappeared silently. The ones who were left were Naruto and Kiba- passed out on the floor, Shikamaru, Sasuke and Sakura.

"Looks like they ate too much….how troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled as him and Sasuke picked up each of them.

"They always splurge when there's a special occasion. Normally they don't let themselves go this far." He explained as leaned back to avoid Naruto's dangling head to whack him in the face as he snored peacefully.

Sakura smiled. There never seemed to be a dull moment in the Uchiha castle; no matter what the circumstances. That's when she remembered Hinata. "Shikamaru! What about-"

"I know what you're thinking and I had her taken care of. We put her under a high dose of morphine, so she's going to be out for the next 12 hours. It wouldn't hurt to sleep in the infirmary for tonight-just to be safe. She is a Hyuuga after all, Sakura."

Sakura nodded, but was puzzled. Shikamaru had called her by her name and hadn't made eye contact all night. Was it the way she looked?

After seeing the two men struggle as they carried Naruto and Kiba, Sakura decided to lend a hand. On her right she put half of Naruto on her shoulder and Kiba on her left as they walked in a horizontal line.

Without a word the two thanked her silently as they dragged the two down the hall to the infirmary- deciding that carrying the two up 2 floors would be strenuous.

With a sigh they threw them on the cushioned benches. "They sure are heavy sleepers." Sakura whispered as the two stirred peacefully in their sleep.

"Well, I'm going up to my room. If anything troublesome occurs give me a call. Hinata is down the hall, first door on your right. Night." He yawned before he left the room, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone with the two snoring men.

"I had a lot of fun tonight." Sakura told him as she smiled up at him. Though he didn't smile his look was gentle, tender.

"I never did get my tour today though. I was pushed and pulled all day and even had to go down to Konoha get Ino's help."

"I didn't think you would go through all this trouble to look…so…" '_beautiful' _He thought without daring to say it. But Sakura read his eyes. "I'm just that unpredictable." She murmured as she leaned up, standing on tip-toes. "Can I ask you something?" he nodded, feeling his heart beat faster. ..the smell of cherry blossoms was starting to intoxicate him

"Tell me, why do you care so much about me? I'm just like the other women in Konoha."

But he shook his head. "You're…different. Your ambitions and aspirations; they're worth pursuing. But you can't do it alone."

His breath hitched as her lips moved to the side of his face, letting her body fall against his as she murmured in his ear. "Thank you…Sasuke."

Sasuke looked down as she started to pull off him, but his hands snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Obsidian met jade as he slowly leaned closer to her. Her hands fell to his chest and clutched the cloth in her fists as her jade eyes started to close

When their lips were just barely touching, a loud grunt from one of the sleeping two behind Sasuke made them jump and look at the two. Naruto had been kicked off the bunch on the floor by Kiba, but hadn't woken up.

Their eyes met again before they blush furiously and looked away quickly. "Er…good night." She told him before she retreated down the hall and into the room where Hinata was before Sasuke could say anything else.

"Aah…night." Sasuke murmured after she had left before sighing and running a hand through his raven locks and leaving the room.

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Sakura who was pressed against the door put a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating rapidly. _'OH-MY-GAWD' _She thought as her face burned red as the events replayed in her mind. _'Sasuke...almost kissed me…!'_

'_Still wondering if he doesn't have feelings for you, Sakura?'_ her thoughts mocked happily. But she shook her head. _'I can't think about this right now…'_ she thought as she made her way over to the small sink to wash her face with cold water.

When all the makeup had been washed off her face she stripped off the sash and two outer layers of the kimono and settling in the soft, thin inner one before glancing at Hinata who was sleeping peacefully in her bed.

Sakura laid down on the bed across from Hinata and stared up at the white ceiling. _'It probably meant nothing…it was just one of those awkward impulses…nothing more…'_ she told herself, ignoring the nagging thoughts before drifting off into a deep sleep.

After all, once Hinata was better she would be gone and forgotten about so this was nothing to worry about…right?

**To be continued**

**I'm sorry guys this is about 3 days late…and if there are any major mistakes because I wanted to get this uploaded today as soon as I could... I was going to upload earlier but I was sort of stuck on how to end this…and I sort of made the people's reactions to Sakura's appearance a little less dramatic, but I decided to put the drama at the end :D! ha ha you guys must hate me. Because this is another cliff hanger…**

**But till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	18. Predicted Deceit?

**Sorry guys this is later than I had ever planned to release it…I feel sort of bad :(. But like I said, tennis is starting up and I'm trying to make the team (only 14 girls out of like 22 will be picked…) and snowboarding season has ended for us. I'm pretty bummed…and it was snowing today…**

**But thank you guys for not leaving me hate mail or anything and being so patient :). I really do love you guys with all mah heart! Haha. But yes, let's get on with this chappy shall we?**

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**xo M i M i**

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Sakura awoke to the sun beating on her face and the sound of soft murmurs near her. When she opened her eyes slowly, she found two guards standing at the foot of her bed with their backs turned to her.

Quietly, she sat up to hear their conversation a little better

"So, that's the girl right?" asked the guard on the right. He was taller than his partner, and had shaggy brown hair.

The one on the left nodded. He had blonde hair like Naruto. "Aah. Word has it that she's the Hyuuga heiress herself, and she's incredibly dangerous so Shikamaru-san sedated her."

"Didn't she harm our next lady?"

"Next lady…?"

"The Haruno girl behind us," the man paused as they started to turn around. Sakura jumped and leaned back, pretending to be asleep, but kept her left eye slightly open so she could eye the two.

"She sure is a pretty one. I wonder what our lord saw that made him chose her over all the over women he's come across."

"He's a peculiar one. But either way, she's probably the millionth woman to come here, and the first to stay here for more than 10 seconds so whatever she did it captured his eye…and his heart."

Sakura felt her heart beat faster. She had captured his heart? _'I never thought of it that way…I mean he DID go through all that trouble to have that special ceremony dedicated to me…so that I was known to the entire Uchiha castle.'_

"I wonder what she did. To make him fall for her. It must've been something big to melt our lord's heart of ice towards women."

"_You're…different. Your ambitions and aspirations; they're worth pursuing. But you can't do it alone."_

That's when the events of last night came back to her.

Him, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling him closer to him as he leaned closer to her and her clutching the soft cloth belonging to his robes as she slowly closed her eyes and turned her head…

How was she supposed to face Sasuke now? Because of that awkward moment she didn't know if she could ever face him…_'Maybe I should just go home now…'_

"Ah-oi…what's wrong with Haruno-san? She looks kinda strange…" said one of the guards as he pointed to her. He was right. Her eyes were shut so tight they were afraid she was going to tear the top of her eyelids (**a/n: like in the cartoons :) **).

"Maybe she's having a nightmare. Oi…Haruno-san, wake up." Called the other guard softly as he shook her gently.

Instantly, her eyes shot open, making the two jump back, a little startled.

"G-Good morning, Haruno-san. S-Sorry to wake you but-" the brunette apologized as the two bowed, lowering their heads humbly. But his voice trailed off as he saw her creamy feet touch the floor.

The two looked up and blushed as they saw her sitting on the edge of the bed looking sternly. "Stand up straight."

Fearfully, the two stood up as straight as possible, unable to meet the pink-haired woman's eyes. "What are your names?" she demanded in a rough tone.

"I'm Yoroichi, and this is Fuuyuki." The brunette Yoroichi replied as he pointed to his partner.

That's when she could no longer hold in her laughter as a bright smile appeared on her face. "Don't look so frightened. I won't hurt you. I was only kidding. It's nice to meet you, Yoroichi-san, Fuuyuki-san." She explained to them as she outstretched a hand.

Hesitantly, the two both shook her soft hand.

Nonchalantly she drew up her legs so she was hugging them. "So what're you two doing down here anyway? Don't you have some post or something?"

"Well- Haruno-san, we don't really have a post since we're night guards. But we ran into Shikamaru-san and he told us to keep an eye on Hyuuga-sama since the medication should be wearing off by now." Fuuyuki explained.

"I see. What else did he tell you?" she asked, pretending as if she hadn't overheard their conversation when she woke up and pretended to be asleep.

"…To protect you in case she woke up in a fit."

Sakura had to force herself to keep her mouth closed. "Sh-Shikamaru said THAT?" what had made him have a change of heart?

"I mean everyone knows you and our lord…"

This made her sigh as she held up a hand. "Don't say it. Everyone THINKS me and Sasuke are…seeing each other."

The guards looked at each other, puzzled. "Well aren't you?" Sakura shook her head violently. "We certainly aren't! I'm here as a doctor-in-training. Didn't you guys listen to his speech last night? He didn't say anything about me and him-"

"But we all know how he is. He's…indirect, and rarely says anything that he truly feels." Fuuyuki explained.

"Besides…he introduced you to the ENTIRE Uchiha castle. Do you honestly know how big this sucker is? Plus he went through all the trouble to have it in the courtyard of all places. It's obvious that he has a soft spot for you, Haruno-san." Yoroichi added.

Sakura sighed. "He thinks I'm different than the other women and he owes me a favor. There isn't anything else. No secret meetings or affairs. When Hinata leaves, I will too. That was our deal."

'_But she dropped the suffix from his name…no one in the COUNTRY can do that except those closest to him like Naruto or Kaito-san…'_ protested Fuuyuki in his thoughts.

'_No affairs? No secret meetings? This can't just be ALL business. Otherwise she wouldn't have sat next to him during the ceremony. There wouldn't even BE a ceremony if it was just business not to mention he wouldn't just let any woman into HIS castle. After Mikoto-sama died…no woman has paved their way into his heart…is she lying?' _Yoroichi examined her more closely. She didn't seem to be hiding anything. _'Maybe…she ISN'T lying…maybe she just doesn't realize that Sasuke-san DOES have a soft spot for her.'_

Sakura stood up and walked over to Hinata who was still sleeping peacefully. She moved the midnight blue hair from her face gently. "You two…Shikamaru said that her medication would be wearing off soon, right?"

The two who were still deep in thought nodded. "That is correct, Haruno-san. Why do you ask?"

"Did he mention what time she would be waking up?" she asked without taking her eyes off the girl but eyed the bottles of medication on the bedside table peripherally.

Yoroichi shook his head. "He didn't specify. Did you need to leave for anything?"

Sakura shook her head but cursed him in her head. _'Damn him!! He did this on purpose…he's testing me…'_ "It's better if I stay here until she awakens. Are Naruto and Kiba still outside?"

"Last time we checked. Would you like them in here, Haruno-san?" Fuuyuki asked. "Just Naruto, but can you wake Kiba and ask him to get Hinata something to eat? She's probably going to be starving. No one thought to bring her any food…."

"Of course. We'll be right back, Haruno-san. Will you be alright if we leave you in here by yourself? She's dangerous after all-"

Sakura turned to look at the two and smiled confidently. "I'll be fine. They're just outside on the floor or one of the benches. And she's only dangerous when she panics." She replied as she waved a hand to shoo them away.

The two bowed and left. As they walked down the hall, Yoroichi started to murmur to his partner. "I think I see what or lord sees in her."

"Do you now?"

"Ahh." The brunette grinned. "It's those eyes. They're…different-not just because their green. There's something there…it's a gleam of determination."

"I couldn't agree with you more. I wonder if Sasuke-san will let her go when Hyuuga-sama is healthy."

"Doubt it. He's prideful, not stupid. If he isn't in love with her yet he will be. It's only a matter of time."

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Sasuke lied awake in bed, staring at the large ceiling in his bedroom, turning to his side to avoid being blinded by the sunlight leaking in through his window.

The events of last night came flooding in as he thought of pink.

What had gotten into him? Grabbing her waist and trying to kiss her like that? _'After pulling a stunt like that…I doubt she'll want to stay.'_ He thought miserably as he sat up and moved to the edge of his bed and buried his face in his hands as he rubbed his eyes.

He walked over to his wardrobe to put on his casual clothes, a shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back and black shorts and moved over to his mirror to stare back at an obsidian eyed man with messy raven hair.

'_Father, why can't I take over the Uchiha kingdom when you retire?'_ he has asked his father when he was young

'_Because you are the youngest, Sasuke. Itachi, the eldest, is the heir. You are to live a simple life and continue the Uchiha line. Wouldn't you like that?'_ _his father had asked him cheerfully._

'_I wouldn't. I want to make a difference in our kingdom. Why does everything have to bestow on aniki (__**older brother**__)?"_

'_The responsibility is always put on the eldest, Sasuke. But I'll tell you one thing, having all that responsibility isn't always easy. It'll seem as though you won't have any freedom, and you'll always have to put your people first. I'd much rather have Itachi take upon that responsibility. Besides, you're only 7. Aren't you a little too young to be deciding your future?'_

_Sasuke shook his head determined. 'I'm an Uchiha, and we're never to young to decide anything!! But if I can't take over the Uchiha clan….would I at least rule along side brother? I'm sure he'd get lonely…'_

_His father smiled and patted his head with a chuckle. "Of course. And if Itachi feels as though he isn't fit to defend our country, he could always pass on the power to you. Would you like that?'_

'_I'd like that very much!'_

Sasuke looked away from the mirror and flipped it around so he could no longer stare back at himself. When he saw his reflection, his mind reminisced back to when his father was still alive…and the clan was still at peace.

'_Looks like you were right Father…it IS a big responsibility on my part…and I would trade anything to have that peaceful life you had talked about, having freedom and not a care in the world. If only…'_

But a knock at his door brought him out of his regrets.

"Sasuke-san, are you awake?" asked one of the guards outside the door.

"Aah. What do you need?" he asked in a cool voice as he ran a hand through his hair. "You have a meeting to attend. Please get dressed and meet the elders in the conference hall in 10 minutes."

When he heard the guards footsteps fade he let out a sigh. A meeting first thing in the morning? The elders including Saito were trying to run him down. With a grumble he left his room and walked downstairs. It would be over an hour before he was able to have breakfast and see Sakura.

'_Maybe some time away from her will let me clear my head. I'll have to control myself around her or I just might run her out of the castle of her own free will.'_ He thought, trying to think optimistically, but it only made him seem more miserable.

It was going to be a long morning.

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"Good morning Sakura-chan. Did you sleep okay?" Naruto asked as he yawned into his hand and sat down on a stool beside her. The guards Fuuyuki and Yoroichi had thrown him into the room and shut the door without a word.

"I slept alright." She lied. All she could think about was the events of last night. "I wonder how I got in here…the last thing I remember was eating the last turkey leg before passing out next to Kiba…I wonder if we'll get a big breakfast." He grinned, but Sakura tuned him out as she looked at Hinata who was still sleeping.

'_I wonder what she was doing so far away from the Hyuuga disctrict…'_ Sakura thought as she stared at the girl who had a bruise under her right eye and the purple lines around her neck.

"Ne, Sakura-chan…you don't think…that she's dead, do you?" Naruto asked awkwardly when she didn't answer him. She turned to look at him and shook her head. "Don't be silly. Shikamaru would OD her on morphine. It was just to relax her and calm her down because of the ceremony and the fact that she's still in shock…any sign of Kiba with her food?"

Naruto turned around and walked over to the open door, then shook his head. "No, no sign of him yet. He's a little slow so- SAKURA-CHAN WATCH OUT!!!" Naruto hollered as he pointed to Hinata.

As Sakura turned around she saw the girl sitting up right, her eyes were white with the veins popping from the side of her face again, and her hand was darting out for her neck once more.

Only this time with extreme agility, Sakura caught her wrist roughly in her hand and gave it a squeeze. "It's alright; I'm not going to hurt you. I'm only here to help you get better." She told her gently. But her eyes gleamed with a certain intimidation which successfully made the girl hesitantly relax.

"I'm Haruno Sakura," she told her cautiously, deciding it wasn't best to ask her anything that would make her black out again.

The girl looked down groggily as the veins disappeared and her eyes turned their midnight color again. Sakura went on. "You must be hungry. You've been asleep for nearly 2 days straight. We're going to bring you food in a little bit…do you think you try and eat it and keep it down?"

Disoriented and still cautious, she nodded, realizing that she could no longer talk.

Sakura chatted with her as Naruto waited by the door after being threatened by one of the guards who had heard him holler. Everyone knew that if Sakura would be harmed in anyway, hell would break lose, and that included the roof, Naruto, and a royally pissed lord.

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Sasuke sighed under his breath as he listened to another lecture by the elders about not thinking through his decisions, only this time, he didn't realize that he would win.

"Sasuke-sama, we have called you here, once again to discuss your irresponsibleness." One of the elders told him sternly. With a "not-caring-you-always-lecture-me" look, he asked, "What is it this time? The way I dressed? Or perhaps the way I gave my speech at the ceremony last night?"

"Please, leave the sarcasm to a minimum, Sasuke-sama." Another elder added. "We believe that you gave a wonderful speech for Haruno-san. In fact, we're extremely proud of you for that."

"But the fact of the matter is you brought two women without any given notice in the past 24 hours. That is entirely unacceptable." Saito replied.

Sasuke shot him a dirty look. What the hell was this guy talking about?! It was his castle, he could bring in anyone he pleased! "And who are you to tell ME who I can and can not bring into MY castle?"

Saito shut his mouth when he saw Sasuke's eyes flicker crimson. So another spoke up. "We meant no disrespect, milord. But bringing strangers into this castle without any warning or background checks is irresponsible and careless. What if they were an assassin from another village here to execute you?"

"Oh, but you all were too quick to assume." Kaito interjected as he stood up, looking pleased. "Neither of the women he allowed in were strangers to the Uchiha family. In fact, I used to look after Haruno Sakura herself as a child. Her father was a good friend of our late lord."

The elders murmured among themselves. Sasuke gave Kaito a grateful look and forcefully hid his smile. Kaito nodded in recognition.

"But that doesn't pardon the other one. I hear that the mute girl you brought in caused a little commotion last night?"

"Ahh, but that is only because she's in shock. It's merely psychological and was overestimated. She IS, after all the heiress Hinata of our neighbors, the Hyuugas." Kaito added in a cool tone, ready for the reaction he would receive.

There were several gasps and looks of horror. It was as if the world would be coming to an end in a matter of minutes.

"Sasuke-sama!! Kaito-sama!! The woman that is in our care is Hyuuga Hinata-san herself?!! Why did you not call a meeting for this earlier?!"

"I had other matters to attend to, like introducing our guest Sakura to the Uchiha castle. So there would be no meetings like this later and she would be known and not thrown out if she'd run into one of our guards." Sasuke replied.

"Besides, what else would he be able to do, elders? If they find their heiress battered up like that in the hands of the Uchiha clan what would their reaction be? She is mute after all."

The elders fell silent. Starting a war with the second most powerful clan in the country was not something they would ever want. After all, they had formed an edgy alliance with them over the years and finding their heiress in her worst condition would have them forever at war with them.

Sasuke looked down at his hands and smirked. For the past few weeks they had been nit-picky about everything he did, no matter how big or small. Only this time, he busted them. Him and Kaito exchanged looks peripherally and he nodded. Kaito always could read his mind, no matter how hard he tried to hide his emotions.

"Elders, forgiving me for saying so, but you forget that Sasuke is still not 20 let alone 18. He is still a teenager, so please try to be a little more lenient. I'm not saying let him get away with every little thing, but he even lord's of countries need breaks. Especially one so young as himself."

The other elders murmured among themselves. Kaito had a point. (**a/n: technically, in Japan, you aren't an adult until you're 20, and you can't drive until your 18.**)

"I suppose…we have been a little…edgy lately." One of the elders admitted guiltily. The others agreed. "You have been lectured quite a lot lately. We mean no disrespect, but I assume we all forgot your age for awhile. It would've been better had your father still been alive. You wouldn't have such a large responsibility weighed on your shoulders."

The men- including Saito who didn't say anything- bowed in apology. Sasuke stood, up smirking inside himself told them to stand up straight. "I understand your panic. I'm sure anyone of your age and experience would be a little edgy if their lord was 17. Though I'm young I'll do everything in my power to protect my people. Even if it costs me my life." The elders smiled. He sounded like his father.

"Please, don't say such humble things milord. If you died the entire country would be in turmoil. We'll need you alive. You couldn't be diehard like Fugaku-sama." One of the elders chuckled.

"Well, now that everything is said and done, gentlemen, I'd like to check on the women. If you'll excuse me." He told them, nodding slightly before exiting.

Kaito stayed, telling him silently that they would catch up later and shut the door behind Sasuke.

"He has a lot of growing up to do, that boy." One of the elders breathed. The others nodded in agreement. "Please, you expect too much out of a 17 year old boy." Kaito told them cheerfully. "I admit, he does need to mature before he's ready to rule anything, but he's trying his absolute hardest. Try to understand that. But now that he's found Sakura-san I'm sure that he'll start to improve. A women's touch always seems to do that to a man."

"But Kaito-san, you realize that once he reaches 18 he'll have to find a wife…"

Kaito looked down, but still tried to keep a cheery face. It would probably be decided that they were to pick a wife for him, to join nations, and it wasn't fair. But he couldn't go against old customs, so he nodded. "But it's still too early to talk such nonsense! He has until the 23rd of July (**his real birthday!!**). So give him a little freedom before his life becomes too complicated and stressful to take. You never what an Uchiha will do."

The elders unwillingly agreed. Sasuke wasn't predictable, not to mention he was emotionally unstable; being seventeen.

"Well, if you'll excuse me. I must catch up with Sasuke-san. He's probably getting impatient by now." Kaito bowed before he left as well, shutting the door behind him.

"Tado-san, have you received word of the replacement royal adviser?" Saito asked, trying to keep a stoic tone, keeping his clenched fists behind his back. Nearly the eldest the man limped over with his cane. "He should be arriving in a few days. Under the new moon."

"Good. Excuse me gentlemen." Saito replied and left as well, allowing himself to smirk when his back was turned. _'It's about time we got some order in this castle. I've had enough of this spoiled Uchiha family. It's only a matter of time before their power declines…' _And left the room.

Little did he know what he was really getting himself into

**TBC….**

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**Yes. I ended it in a crappy way. Only because I got impatient and decided…."you know what I'm gonna upload this since I have time…"**

**So sorry if it sucks. But I'll have a bonus chapter thing up too. I loved your guys responses to the previous chapter :D. So I think you'll like this one and the following one.**

**Again, it's a pre-preview of a later event. But then again, I could always change around the events later.**

**So Until Next Time!!**

**xxasuka-chanxx**


	19. A Moment in the Hot Spring

**I'm back guys!! I meant to have this up the night before, but practice has been wearing me out lately and after I showered I slept like a log.**

**I'm happy with all my frequent readers. It makes me happy. I love getting new readers every chapter. :)**

**Again, I apologize if I misspell and/or leave your out of my author recognition thing. But normally I'll put your name on the following chapter if you reviewed on the previous one. After all, it's all I can do (online) for my amazing readers who read/comment my chapters. I'm sure that if I didn't get feedback I'd probably stop uploading all together.**

**Oh and thank you SO much for all the people who were amazing enough to read all this :D.**

**To My Newest (AMAZING) Readers (you rock for clicking this fic and reading it. Please PLEASE stick by me 'till the end and I promise I'll make it worth your while as I make you laugh, cry, throw a chair, maybe even kiss a baby):**

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Kiba had returned not just a tray of food like Sakura had assumed, but with a 3 shelved cart filled with food and a grin that gleamed as shiny as the silverware. Naruto's eyes filled with glee as he eyed all the food.

There were more food filled with breakfast food piled, stacked and crammed together on that cart than she had probably had in an entire year. From 7 types of egg dishes to 13 types of breads, iced, chilled, and hot teas, pancakes, bowls of flavored, colored, and white rice, and desserts both foreign and native.

"W-What's all this…?!" Sakura asked as she gawked at all the foods.

"Well…the minute I told Gai and Lee that you requested food he insisted on bringing you every type of breakfast food he could think of since he didn't know what you liked yet." Kiba breathed. It had been strenuous bringing the cart to the east wing of the castle when the kitchen was nearly on the other side of the large castle.

"Alright then!! Let's eat!" Naruto grinned excitedly as he lunged for the food. But Sakura grabbed the back of his robes.

"The food was for Hinata, not you, Naruto. So let her get what she wants first."

The men moved the cart of mouth watering food over to Hinata's left side, so it was sitting next to Sakura. Nervously, Hinata stared at her. As if she was asking if it was alright to eat.

She smiled. "Go on. Eat whatever you want. I'm sure your starving."

Hesitantly, she took a small bowl of rice and eggs and picked up a pair of chopsticks sitting neatly on top of the cart, next to the other utensils and tea.

Slowly, she took a bite. Then, her eyes widened and started to eat savagely. Sakura was right; she was starving.

She smiled as she listened to the soft clinks of the chopsticks against the bowl as Hinata devoured the rest of it,

"Sakura chan…can we eat now?" Naruto complained as him and Kiba eyed her as if begging for the food. The aromas were starting to get to them. Sakura nodded. "Go ahead. But save some food for Hina-" but the second she told them it was alright it was as if there had been a signal to eat as fast as humanly possible as they grabbed for anything in sight.

If she hadn't known their eating patterns, she wouldn't sworn they hadn't eaten properly in months.

Sakura nibbled on a piece of buttered toast and wondering what today would bring. Would she get the tour of the castle like Sasuke had promised her?

That's right…Sasuke…

'_Would things be awkward after last night?'_ she thought as she imagined meeting his obsidian eyes and awkwardly looking away.

She sighed as she tried to tune out the noise Naruto and Kiba were making, but all we in bain. If only there was a place to think clearly.

"Naruto! Do you know where I could take a bath?" She asked turning around to face the man shoving eggs into his mouth.

He stopped eating long enough to answer her. "Well, there's a hot spring out back if you want to use that. Just take the right hall to get into the main hall, then the 2nd door under the stairs leads to a long hall way. Continue down the hall until you come to the door that's steaming. You can't miss it."

"Great thanks. Watch Hinata while I'm gone, okay?" She asked and hurried out the door before they could say another word.

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Sasuke strolled down the halls, whistling softly as he thought to himself, pleased that he had won against the elders. _'I think I'll take a bath,'_ he thought cheerfully as he went down the hall to the laundry room to grab a couple towels.

The Uchiha castle hot spring and was broken up into several parts. The largest was for the castle staff, the elders, and Sasuke's. The only exception was Naruto. When he walked out of the laundry room with a couple towels, he nearly ran into Kaito.

"Oh, Sasuke. Going to take a bath are you?" he asked in his chipper tone. Sasuke nodded. "Ahh. Are you going to the infirmary?"

"I believe I am. Would you like me to leave a message to Haruno-san?"

Sasuke thought a moment. Though he should've checked in with Sakura, he decided to give her some time away from him. After all, attempting to kiss her last night and awkwardly staring at her after the failed attempt would embarrass the both of them.

"Tell her that I'll check in with them later." He replied. Kaito nodded before they went opposite ways. Not knowing what would be in store for him when he reached the hot spring.

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As Kaito reached the infirmary, he heard loud clanks, as if someone were eating. He turned to the guards, Yoroichi and Fuuyuki who shrugged after telling them that Kiba had entered the room with Hinata, Naruto and Sakura with a large cart of food and never came out, obviously still eating.

When he entered the room, he tried his hardest to keep a straight face. On the floor were overturned plates with left over food, Naruto shoving his face in a bowl, Kiba lying on the floor nibbling on what seemed to be a cold cut sandwich, and Hinata quietly sleeping in her bed, looking healthier as a few empty bowls laid on her bedside table.

Before lecturing the boys he looked around. Sakura was nowhere to be found.

"Where is Haruno-san, you two?" he asked calmly, nervously looking around from the corner of his eyes. Naruto looked up, the corners of his mouth were caked with cooked rice grains. "She went to the hot springs to take a bath. She looked kinda stressed-"

That's when he paled. Sasuke and Sakura were going to be in the same place. Naked, without knowing it. "Oh no…"

"What's wrong Kaito-san? Was she not supposed to be in there by herself? I mean if she goes into Sasuke's part of the spring I'm sure he wouldn't mind cuz-"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure your right. She is his guest after all." He said quickly. Praying to Kami-sama (**God. Just in case you guys didn't know**) that Sasuke would walk in with a towel on, and not run into Sakura…indecent…

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Sakura sighed happily as she sunk into the soothingly hot water after stripping off her kimono robes and under garments.. She stared up at the morning sky. _'This place is amazing…and no ones in here right now. I have this all to myself…' _she thought with a satisfied smile as she swam over to the running water and stood up, letting the water fall on her face.

With the running of the water, she didn't hear the sliding door to the hot spring open and Sasuke step in, and he didn't see her with all the steam in the air.

As Sasuke lost his towel and stepped in he laid against the other side of the rocks. Across from the running water. He looked up. Bathing in the morning always seemed to relax him and take away his troubles. Almost as better as being up on the roof with Naruto.

When he heard a small giggle belonging to a woman, Sakura of all women- he froze. A woman? In the hot springs? His eyes stared down at the water below him. If he had known she had been in here he would've bathed at another time, or bathed 50 feet away.

Yet her carefree laughs seemed to lure him closer to her. Until he found himself behind the rocks near the spring, and his eyes widened as he saw her figure start to form in the steam.

And his heart stopped.

Though she was turned, her leg was bent in a leisurely fashion, with her long hair, still slightly curled from last night down her back. Though her back was turned part of her face could be seen. One of her jade eyes-which never failed to captivate him completely- could be seen along with the slight curl of her lips.

"God…" he murmured under his breath as he watched her. But guilt overthrew him when he started to fantasize about the rest of her body and turned around, pressing his head against the rocks.

'_She's totally got you under her spell, doesn't she, Sasuke?'_ his mind teased as he fought the urge to walk over to her and pin her against the wall. He shook his head. _'She does not. But her eyes…there's something about them that I can't turn away from.'_

'_Maybe because your falling for her?'_

'_I don't know.'_ He thought as he closed his eyes and swallowed awkwardly, trying his hardest not to think about her.

That's when he realized, if Sakura ventured from under the water, she would see him against the rocks and probably throw a fit, fearing that he had been peeping-which he was, in a way but he couldn't let her know this.

Sasuke searched the bottom of the water and found a pebble big enough to make a noise and chucked it at the pair of rocks across from the ones he was leaning on.

As it made a soft clink, a startled Sakura gave a soft squeal and flopped into the water. "Whose there?!" she demanded in a cracked voice.

Sasuke decided to play along. "Sakura is that you in here?" he asked in a cool tone. She relaxed slightly, but still felt on edge and slightly light headed from the blush that burned her cheeks. "S-Sasuke? What are you doing in here?"

"I wanted to take a bath. I'm guessing we think alike." He replied, smirking to himself. She hadn't suspected him.

She sighed with relief. "I thought you were some peeping tom! I would've punched your lights out…" as she gave an uneasy laugh Sasuke thanked the heavens he hadn't acted on his thoughts. He had yet to see the rage of the pink-haired beauty and decided he would rather never…ever want to.

An awkward silence waved over them. And he felt his heart beat faster when he heard her start to swim closer to him. But the panic settled when he realized she was just leaning against the opposite side.

"Hinata's gained her appetite back. And though it's uneasy, I think she's beginning to trust me. Do you think I should have left her alone with Kiba and Naruto?" she asked in a tender tone Sasuke still wasn't used to.

"I…ran into Kaito before I came here. He was going to check in on you two. I'm sure Shikamaru is in there now. Just relax."

Sakura rested her head on the rocks and calmed down like Sasuke had asked. "Your right I suppose."

Silence fell over them again, until her voice filled his ears again. "Sasuke…?"

"Hn."

"…She's from the Hyuuga clan right…? The heiress?"

"That's right. Why?"

"Well…doesn't the clan need their heiress? What if they found out that you have her in this condition?"

Sasuke stayed silent for a minute, thinking of something to reassure her. There was worry in her tone and it made his heart thump. "I'm not sure yet. But I'm sure they won't send word until they search all of the Hyuuga territory which is near the outskirts of Konoha. I'm sure we have time."

"I suppose, but…"

Sasuke couldn't help but resist the urge to smile. She was worried about him and the fate of the Uchiha castle. "I got it covered. I'm sure we'll think of something ahead of time. I have Kaito and Shikamaru…and now I have a smart doctor by my side just in case something does happen."

This made Sakura blush as a small smile formed on the corners of her mouth. _Now I have a smart doctor by my side._ The words played back in Sakura's mind like a broken record. It felt nice…to be wanted. Even if she was only going to stay for a short amount of time.

"But I'm only a doctor-in-training. Until I really study and practice, I can't even call myself an assistant."

"I have faith in you. There's more potential in you than you'd like to believe" Sasuke replied behind the rock. His face was starting to burn a cherry red. Was the steam getting to him?

"Arigato. Sasuke." Sakura started to feel lightheaded from the blood rising to her head. Not only was she embarrassed, but the steam was starting to make it harder and harder to breathe.

"We should probably get out…if we stay in here too long we might pass out from a heat-stroke." She told him wearily before he could say anything more.

"Aah. I guess you're right." He answered as the two rose, thanking the heavens that the rocks were high enough to cover them from the shoulders down.

But as their eyes met, neither moved; as if frozen.

'_She's corrupting you,'_ his mind told him as he studied every feature of her face.

'_Maybe she is…'_ he thought as he decided to take another chance and leaned closer to her, lowering his eye lids slowly as she did the same, only leaning against the rocks to reach him.

As their lips were almost touching and their heartbeats were loud enough to beat out of their chests, there was a burst through the doors leading to the spring.

"Sasuke? Are you in here still?" asked a voice. This time it belonged to Kaito. The two breathed as they nearly jumped 50 feet away from each other and looked away, unable to meet each other'a eyes.

"Aah. I am. What do you need?" Sasuke asked as he ran his fingers through his hair, slightly frustrated that every time him and Sakura had a moment, it was interrupted.

"I was going to ask if Haruno-san is with you. She isn't in the infirmary and-"

"I-I'm in here Kaito-san!! But me and Sasuke are separated I promise! I was just about to leave." She told him as she quickly walked around the rocks and away from Sasuke's view, and his obsidian stare.

"I see. It looks like I came at the right time. Naruto told me you hurried off into the hot spring and you forgot a towel, Haruno-san, so I brought a few extra."

"Thanks a lot Kaito-san! I'll be out in a minute." She told him quickly as she moved over to the side of the spring so her elbows were rest outside of the water. Kaito nodded and shut the door behind him.

Sasuke turned around so she could lift herself out and put a towel around herself. When she heard him stand up again, she answered without looking at him.

"You might want to stay in here. Kaito-san might get the wrong idea if we come out…together." She told him softly.

"…Aah. I understand." Sasuke replied as she started to walk away. When she reached the door, she paused for a second, as wanting to say something else, but decided not to and shut the door behind her, leaving Sasuke in the steam.

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'_Stupid , stupid, stupid!!' _she thought to herself as she closed her eyes, walking frustratingly down the halls. _'Why does this only happen to me?' _

'_You're falling for him, Sakura. And there shouldn't be a doubt in your mind that he's falling harder and harder for you. This is the second time he's tried to kiss you. And with each failed attempt you run away like a dog with its tail between its legs!! What's the problem?! '_ her thoughts scolded her as she tried to shake them off.

'_What else am I supposed to do? Besides, I told Ino that nothing would happen between Sasuke and I. I don't think she would ever forgive me if she found out that me and him had a…thing…' _she argued back.

The inner thoughts gave an aggravated noise _'No one gives a damn about what Ino thinks!! This is real, not some weird obsession for the Lord of Konoha. Besides, compare how many guys has she been infatuated with then compare that to the number of guys you've actually liked after your father le-'_

'_Don't mention him.'_

'_Why do you insist on hiding from reality? You can't hide from me, because I'm YOU. What are you going to do when Sasuke tries to kiss you again and he succeeds? Are you going to run away from him, the castle and your dreams?'_

But before she could allow herself to think about anything she had run right into Kaito once more.

"O-Oh Kaito-san, I didn't see you there."

He smiled wearily. "It's quite alright, Haruno-san. But you should really think about your appearance. It's not wise for such a pretty girl to walk around a castle filled with men indecent."

Sakura looked down at her chest. It was true. The tiny white towel she was wrapped in barely made it mid-thigh, and to get to the third floor to get her clothes she would have to run into nearly half the guards."

"I…don't suppose you have a spare robe on you?" she asked him sheepishly. Kaito grinned and pulled a white silk robe from the shelf.

"It might be a little big on you because Sasuke-san hasn't allowed female guests, so I'm afraid this is will have to last you until you get to your-"

When Sakura heard the door to the hot spring open, she snatched the piece of clothing from his hand and thanked him quickly. "This is perfect, thank you Kaito-san," and before he could say anything else, she threw covered herself and retreated down the hall, disappearing behind a corner.

A few minutes later, Sasuke emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist and a troubled look on his face.

"Is there something you would like to talk about Sasuke?" Kaito asked as he made him come to a stop.

"What gave you that idea." He asked in a flat tone without turning around. Kaito gave him a small smile. _'Because you're so easy to figure out.' _He thought but decided it was better not to tease him when he was low in spirits. "I have my ways. Now tell me what's bothering you."

Sasuke hesitated. What was he supposed to tell him? He could say something like…

"I tried to have a hot make-out session with a naked Sakura because I can't control my emotions. Do you think I have a problem?"

Or….

"I'm falling for a girl that saved me from being trampled by the female population a few days ago by throwing miscellaneous pieces of clothing on me and having a sexy make-out session with me in a dark alleyway…only she only saved me because she thought sorry for me- until she saw the Uchiha emblem on the back of my T-shirt…which I gave to Naruto. So I was technically shirtless throughout the whole thing. What am I supposed to do?"

Or…

Drop to his knees as if having a breakdown and cling to his ankle. "I'M HEAD OVER HEELS FOR HARUNO SAKURA AND I ONLY MET HER A FEW DAYS AGO!! And I keep trying to kiss her but when we have a minute alone together it's always interrupted…give me some pointers?"

Sasuke decided to keep his mouth shut, since none of the 3 choices sounded like him at all, especially not the last one. "It's just the heat. I'm fine." He replied.

Kaito sighed. "You've always been a horrible liar, Sasuke-san. Would you like to tell me what you and Sakura were doing- or thinking about doing before I arrived?"

Sasuke looked up at him. "We weren't doing anything. Like Sakura said, we were separated by rocks." He turned away. "It's nothing, the heat got to me."

Kaito sighed and decided to let it go, for now. Sasuke's stubborn nature was as worse as his ability to lie. "Alright, but if there's something bothering you I expect you to tell me. Promise me, Sasuke."

He nodded. "Aah. You have my word." And he walked away.

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Though he had kept a straight face talking to Kaito, thousands of things were running through Sasuke's mind as he made his way up to his room with a sigh.

'_I blew it. Sakura's probably up packing right now.'_ He thought miserably. After all, what woman could live with someone who couldn't control themselves around them?

'_You're taking this way too hard, It's not your fault you can't control yourself around her. You've never been in love before.'_

Love? Could he really call what he felt for her love? Could you fall for someone in a matter of a few days?

But though he had only known her for a few days he felt as though he had known her for a lifetime, and when his obsidian eyes met her jade ones he seemed to melt, standing on a limb. When she smiled, he smiled, and when she was happy, his heart felt content.

_Was this what you called 'being in love'? Or is it the contentment of having someone by my side?'_ Sasuke thought as he made it to his room, closing his door, and dropping his towel and moving over to his wardrobe to get dressed.

'_Come off it. We all know that you have a soft spot for Haruno Sakura' You can't deny that if anything were to happen to her you'd kill the son-of-a-bitch who hurt her in a split second.'_

'_But is it possible to fall for someone so quickly?__It's__probably just infatuation.' _He reassured himself when he was fully dressed. As he avoided the mirror he ran a hand through his raven hair before sighing once more.

'_If I want to help Sakura fulfill her dream and have her stay here I'll just have to control myself. Fate obviously doesn't want me to kiss her…it is tempting though…' _He thought with a miserable stare out his bedroom window miserable, the image of Sakura dressed up like a porcelain doll made his heart beat faster. But once he realized this he shook the image from his head.

That's when there was a knock at his door. It was another guard.

"Uchiha-sama, the elders have sent me to tell you that you have paper work to do and should get right on it."

In the life of a Lord there never seemed to be a moment of peace. Sasuke resisted the urge to groan and shooed the guard away. When his footsteps had disappeared he opened the door and walked slowly to his office where he would stay for the next several hours.

And secretly he hoped that the time away from Sakura would make things go back to normal and they could look each other in the eyes.

Until he saw pink coming toward him. _'Sakura.'_But when looked down he realized she had a bag with him. When she noticed him frozen in shock, she stopped as well. "Oh, Sasuke."

Had he really scared her away this time?

Was Sakura….leaving the Uchiha Castle?

**TBC…**

**I love messing with you guys :). I'm not gonna lie haha. I can just picture a few of you throwing a chair around your room.**

**But anyways, I promise to have the next chapter up in the next couple days (so before Monday) since I'm off**

**So Till Next Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	20. Shopping in Konoha

**Hey everybody I finally got the laptop I planned to get on my birthday which was on th****e 4****th****Which means I'll be able to upload a lot faster now.**

**Also, thank you everyone who gav****e me constructive criticism. Every time someone gives me tip or an idea it helps me think of new chapters and how deep to make the plot and what to reveal sooner or later. ****And I'll never completely reveal everything because you all know I love to mess with you guys and give you something to look forward to and sometimes I get impatient so bear with me please :).**

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Sasuke froze when he saw Sakura walking toward him with a bag. When she saw him standing there, she froze as well. "Oh, Sasuke." She said in a flat tone.

_'I really blew it this time, didn't I?' _He thought to himself. The first time she had only been embarrassed when they were interrupted, but this time…

She was leaving altogether.

_'I should've learned from last night that I wasn't meant to even try and kiss her.'_ Sasuke thought as she stared where she was. "Were you going somewhere?"

"I should ask you the same thing." He replied in a colder tone than he would've liked to use when talking to her. She showed a little hurt and surprise. "Sasuke, what're you talking about?"

"What's with the bag?" he asked as he swallowed awkwardly, unable to look her in the eyes. She was puzzled. "What do you mean? Ino gave me this when I went to see her last night. I didn't realize that Sai didn't take it up to my room, so I was taking it up now."

Sasuke felt relieved as he unclenched his jaw. She wasn't leaving after all. "…"

"Where did you think I was going in a robe and a bag in my hand?" She asked as walked up to him. When he didn't answer and stared at the floor, she lowered her head to look up at him.

Then she smiled. He had thought she was leaving.

"I'm not leaving, if that's what you were thinking. I have too much at stake if I left now. Besides, there's a lot of work to be done here." Sakura told him as she walked past him. Puzzled he looked back at her. "Work?" but when she didn't reply and turned a corner, a smirk appeared on his face.

_'Looks like I'll just have to wait and see.' _And he continued on his way to the office.

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Though Sasuke had a wrong approach about it, Sakura felt somewhat calmed by the fact that Sasuke seemed upset when he assumed she was leaving.

_'Is there any doubt in your mind that he doesn't want you here now??' _her mind asked, almost exhausted by the fact that Sakura was in denial.

_I never said that I thought he didn't want me here__but…__'_

_'But…?'_

_'But even if he did want me here I promised __Ino__ that nothing would happen between me and him, that I would just be here to heal __Hinata__ and get him to contact __Tsunade__….'_

_'Well you obviously broke that promise when you nearly allowed him to kiss you TWICE! Come on Sakura, you don't want to admit that your addicted to a drug and his name's UCHIHA SASUKE!!'_

_'I'm only__ here to get to __Tsunade__, not to become the next lady. You can't fall for someone in a matter of a few days.'_

_'So you're trying to force yourself to believe that __Sasuke__ is only trying to kiss you because you're some girl who popped into his life he's taken a liking to?'_

Sakura thought a moment. She had to admit she was trying to force herself to think in an extremely shallow and heartless way, but how else could she think?

When she made it to her room rummaged through the large duffle bag for kimono to wear. When she dragged out a light green one with pink flowers scattered throughout the hem and a matching sash.

As she walked in front of her mirror, she subconsciously shifted her bubblegum pink hair to the side of her face and stared back at her green eyes.

_"__Daddy?__ Why am I different?"_ _The little girl asked as she stared up at her father __who was staring at something on a counter top._

_The man didn't look up from what he was doing but answered, "What do you mean?"_

_"Why do I look so different? Is there something wrong with me?" she asked curiously. The man stopped what he was doing to bend down and set her on top of the counter top._

_"There's nothing wrong with you. What made you think you look different than everyone else? You have skin, bones, hair, teeth, and blood like everyone else. You have limbs and all your body parts. So how are you different, __Saku__?"_

_She giggled. "You know what I mean, daddy! My hair, it's pink like __mommy's__ and my eyes are green like yours.__ Why don't I look like the townspeople?__"_

_"It's genetics. Just because you don't look like the people of __Konoha__ makes there something wrong with you."_

_"It doesn't?" she asked, surprised. Her father forced himself not to smile as he shook his head. __"Uh uh.__ It makes you special; unique."_

_"Really?" the little girl asked as her eyes lit up._

_"__Back in my village, any eye color besides brown was abnormal. __Especially blue eyes.__ They called them blowfish, yet it's such a unique color."_

_"How did you get your green eyes daddy?"_

_He thought a moment. "Somewhere, probably down the line I got it from a family member. There were only a couple children with green or blue eyes. It's rare worldwide."_

_That's when he leaned on the counter so she could fully stare back into his eyes. "Never let anyone tell you you're different or weird just because you don't have brown eyes or brown hair."_

_"Is being special good?"_

_"Of co__urse it is. If everyone in the world looked exactly the same, things would be boring.__ You were named Sakura because of your appearance. You reminded your mother of a flower, and because you took after her pink hair she named you after the cherry blossom."_

_"So…I'm a flower?"_

_Her father smiled at her as he patted her head. "Not yet at least. Right now you're a bud, but as you grow up your start to blossom into a flower worthy of your name."_

_"But when will that be?" she asked curiously. _

_"When the time is right, you'll know."_

Sakura closed her eyes as she bitterly remembered the talk with her father, faintly remembering his features except for his dark brown hair and the fiery green eyes filled with the determination and mystery she inherited.

_"Have I blossomed into that flower yet…father?"_ she murmured as opened her eyes again to stare back at her reflection before she walked away from it and left her room.

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When she made it back down to the infirmary she found Shikamaru and Hinata sitting on stools, taking her blood pressure in her room.

As he wrote something on a clipboard he didn't bother to look up as he spoke. "Oh, Sakura, I see you've returned. Close the door."

Sakura looked around as she walked in and shut the door behind her. "Where are Naruto and Kiba?"

"How should I know? They were gone before I got here, must've gone off to the kitchen or something." He mumbled as he scribbled something on the next page of the clipboard.

"Running more tests on Hinata?" she asked as she pulled up a stool and sat next to him.

This time he looked up. "Aah I'm almost done." He paused to look at Hinata, who looked deep in thought. "I think you can finish up here."

Sakura looked at him wildly as he stood up and handed her the clipboard. "W-What? By myself? But I'm not certified to-"

"Do want to be a doctor or not? To be a doctor you have to take risks to save your patient, legal or not. I did most of the easy things. Just go down the list and finish the last page. Then you're welcome to do as please."

"But what're you going to do in the meantime?" she protested as she looked at the list of things left to do on the list. His lips curled into a somewhat smile. "Going to eat of course. I'll return in a half hour or so. If there's something you don't understand look through that medic book on her bedside table." and with that he left.

Sakura sighed and looked up at Hinata who was staring at the door, puzzled at what just happened. "Don't worry about Shikamaru. He's an ass; I've learned that these past few days, but he gets his job done, no matter how lazy he is. From what I hear he's super smart, so if he gives you an medication or runs a test on you it's for your own good."

She seemed to relax with Sakura's words and allowed her continue with the tests.

In a matter of 15 minutes the tests were done. Please, she stood up. "Well, looks like we're done. How about we do something fun? I bet being cooped up in this stuff hospital room would make anybody crack."

Hinata looked up at her, worried, but she reassured her. "It's alright; Shikamaru said that I could do what I pleased after I was done with your tests. And I say we get out of here and have some fun. Besides, I bet you don't even have any clothes to wear."

Hinata looked down at the hospital gown she was wearing and sheepishly looked at her. Sakura smiled. "It's alright. How about we run upstairs and get you one of my kimonos, then we can go to town and buy you some of your own?"

Without waiting for her to answer, she grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the room.

00000000000000000000000000000000

I can't allow her out of here Miss Sakura." Yoroichi told her when she pleaded. "But why not!! She looks perfectly harmless!"

"That's what we thought to, but from what's been reported by Shikamaru, she could snap at any given moment. She almost lethally wounded you. Uchiha-sama would have our heads if he found out something happened to you."

"I'm well aware of what she's capable of, that's why I need to be the one to watch her. That's one of the main reasons Sasuke AND Shikamaru wanted me here. I'm of the same sex. Besides, it was completely accidental-"

"I'm sorry Miss Sakura, but we can't permit it unless Uchiha-sama or Shikamaru tells us otherwise."

That's when an idea popped into her head. "But he did!"

"He did…?"

"Aah. Before he left he told me I could do as I pleased once I was done with Hinata's tests. And I want to let her have some fresh air and buy some clothes for her because technically, her tattered clothing we found her in doesn't account for anything."

The guards hesitated. "But…"

"Besides, even I would go berserk if someone kept me in a stuffy hospital room and being heavily watched by men; the reason WHY she can't talk and is here in the first place."

Sakura held in her satisfaction when Yoroichi and Fuuyuki gave a defeated sigh. "I suppose your right, Sakura-san. But once you're out of the castle we can't protect you…and technically you can't get in trouble since you aren't bound to the castle."

Sakura smiled gracefully and embraced the two guards. "Thank you, thank you for overlooking this! I promise you won't regret doing this for me."

Silently embarrassed but keeping their honor the two nodded. "We'll let you go on one condition," they told her when they watched her and Hinata running to the door. She paused and turned around. "What's that?"

They smiled lightly. "Bring us something back, alright? We haven't been outside the castle walls in a long time."

Sakura grinned. "You have my word! Thanks again." As she excitedly dragged Hinata out of the room the guards smiled.

"She's definitely troublesome like Shikamaru said." Fuuyuki told him as they stared out the door where she had left out of. "Aah. There's no doubt about that, but I have a feeling that I'm going to like having Haruno-san around the castle." Yoroichi smiled.

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When Hinata was fully dressed in a pretty sky blue kimono and white sash with her hair tied up in a black ribbon the two hurried downstairs to the castle entrance.

With a little persuasion and the mention of Shikamaru allowing her to do as she pleased the guards at the entrance scratched their heads and allowed her to the second gates where a kago was summoned.

In a matter of minutes the two were riding in the kago back to Konoha excitedly.

"I bet you haven't been to Konoha in a long time- since you're heiress, have you?" Sakura asked as she watched the dark haired girl stare out the window in awe. She shook her head enthusiastically which made her smile. It was like taking a kid to a candy shop for the first time.

"Well, in the Uchiha castle you're just an average girl, like me. And since your healthy I think this trip is exactly what you need."

When the kago came to a stop, the two entered a boutique where they were ambushed by two freakishly smiling women who enthusiastically greeted them.

"How do you do? My name is Momi and my partner is Emi. We'll be assisting you today. Is there anything in particular you're looking for today?"

Sakura nervously smiled back at them. "We're looking for casual clothes and kimonos for my friend here."

"We have just what you're looking for! Casual clothes is in the far left, and the kimono section is to your right. Would you care to buy anything for yourself, miss? I'm sure a woman of your stature needs some new clothes to impress a special someone?"

Sakura was puzzles by the woman's question as they lead them to the kimonos. "What do you mean?"

"You rode in a kago with the Uchiha emblem on it did you not?" asked the smiling woman, Momi. "You must have some type of relationship with the lord himself. Are you…?" Emi echoed.

The image of him and her in the alleyway made her blush before she shook the image away and smiled. "I am not. I'm only the doctor-in-training."

"Doctor-in-training? Not HIS doctor?" the women asked curiously. Sakura was starting to feel annoyed by the women's nosy nature but politely answered. "I am not. Sasuke wanted to repay a favor he owes me by helping me become a doctor worthy to work beside the great Tsunade."

"HE owed YOU a favor? The lord of Konoha?"

"I didn't do anything in particular, but he said that he owed me a favor so he offered to let me live with him long enough to get the training I needed to be a doctor so he could contact Tsunade-"

"YOU LIVE WITH HIM AS WELL?!!" hollered the women in completely shock. They were no longer smiling anymore. "But rumor has it potential and hopeful brides and women worldwide showed up at his castle and was thrown out the minute they arrived. Only a few last year actually stood face-to-face with him only to be coldly thrown out on the streets yet on a whim he offered for you to LIVE with him?!" demanded the women curiously. The jealousy was apparent in their eyes and tone.

Sakura hid her smile as Hinata searched happily for kimonos. "It was Sasuke's choice, no mine. I don't exactly see the big deal, I'm not the next lady or anything. He's just helping me."

"But you might as well be." Emi protested, obviously jealous of Sakura's position. "No woman has come as close to him as you have! Tell us, what's he like?"

"I don't see what-"

"TELL US!! We're dying to know! The Lord is so….mysterious, I heard a few days ago he was seen outside the castle, but none of us know what he's REALLY like!"

Sakura thought a moment. "Will you give us some deals on the clothes Hinata picks out if I tell you everything I know?"

"Yea, sure anything you want! Now tell us!" they pleaded as they sat her down.

_'Perfect.' _Sakura thought as she smirked to herself. "He's definitely…unpredictable. You never know what he's going to say or do…and he puts up a poker face most of the time but when he's not around the council or someone he's close to he's a real softie."

"Why does he throw out all the women who come to his door?"

"Would you want to allow random, lustful women to live with you?" she asked. This made them think as they shook their heads.

"He wants someone with big dreams." A voice had finished. The women turned to look and see Naruto at the door. "I've known Sasuke all my life, and he's never been the type to even look at the brainless but beautiful type. I'm not saying that all the women who showed up at the castle steps were brainless, but he didn't see as though they had any dreams or ambitions of their own." Naruto met Sakura's eyes as he said this.

"Sakura-chan got Sasuke's attention because she wasn't looking to marry him or even befriend him. In fact, when she first ran into him, she didn't even know who he was."

"So..he WANTED to be unknown?" Momi asked, confused. Who wanted to be unknown or forgotten about?

"You don't get it. Every single woman in Konoha desires him, and no matter what he could possibly do, you'll still stand by his decisions and think he's practically a god. Then he met Sakura, an average girl who runs a flower shop who thought he wasn't anything special and wanted nothing to do with supporting him in any way. And before she knew who he was she got to know him as a PERSON, instead of his status. That's why he's helping her."

The women said no more after this. "There's definitely more to the Lord than we ever thought. We're sorry for being so nosy, Miss. Please chose the clothes you want and take your leave." They replied before they disappeared, nearly running into Hinata in the process.

Hinata had a stack of kimonos in her hand and looked puzzled. Sakura gave a weary smile. "It's alright Hinata. Are those the kimonos you want to try on?"

She nodded happily as she followed Sakura into the dressing room.

They emerged from the dressing room to find Naruto sitting, looking somewhat bored until he saw Hinata in her new kimono his eyes widened as he leaned forward in his seat. "Wow." He murmured under his breath.

Hinata was wearing a white kimono with an assortment of flowers at the hem and a black sash around her waist. It seemed to hug every curve of her body and her long hair flowing down her back made it seem as it was the night sky falling.

"Do you like what you see, Naruto?" Sakura grinned as he noticed him staring. Hinata looked at him blushing. "Y-You look pretty…Hinata-chan." He mumbled under his breath. This made her blush even harder, as if she had never received such a compliment.

"How about you try on the rest of the kimonos with Naruto as your audience while I get some normal clothes for you to wear outside the castle?" she suggested before she winked at Naruto and left them alone.

"G-Go on, Hinata-chan. I'll give you my opinion on them." He told her without meeting her eyes.

She smiled and nodded before rushing back into the room.

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For the next 20 minutes or so Hinata had tried on a dark green kimono with gold lining, a blue and grey one, a plain light blue one and a pale green one, and a purple kimono with white flowers scattered on them.

She sat down beside Naruto, as if she was tired. He looked at her. "You look tired. Do you want to stop trying them on until Sakura gets back?"

She looked at him wearily and nodded. Silence overcame them before he spoke up. "You know…you don't really have to try any of them on. I think you look good in all of them."

Hinata looked surprised and blushed.

Naruto grinned. "Oh, I forgot that you can't talk. Heh. I was looking for a response." He looked and saw that her expression had changed. She looked miserable. So he touched her shoulder gently. "Hey, don't sweat it. It's not permanently gone. It was just scared away."

Hinata looked down as her eyes widened as if remembering something. She put her hands over her ears and started to shake, as if hearing the sounds of her screams and pleads as her clothes were torn from the struggle, the strangled noises escaping her throat.

"Hinata-chan? Are you-" Naruto asked as he looked at her. As she looked up, her dark eyes disappeared and they turned white and the veins popped out once more.

Immediately, Naruto grabbed her wrists before Hinata could shoot for his neck. "W-What's gotten into you Hinata-chan?! Calm down!!" Bu t she could no longer be reached as she struggled against him. All she could hear were her helpless cries and screams for help.

As Sakura returned she noticed Hinata on top of Naruto she blushed. _'Looks like I missed a lot while I was gone…' _ but when she noticed the fear and pain in his eyes she rushed over to them as Hinata raised to fingers and aimed them at his neck.

"NARUTO!!!"

**TBC…**

** I'm really happy that I got my new laptop. I'm on it for hours, typi****ng and re-typing everything. ****I plan on uploading a lot more nowadays, since I have access to a computer, but forgive me if I don't because I've been extremely busy…**

**So 'till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	21. Budding Feelings for the New Girl

**Hey guys I decided to hold off uploading this to keep the suspense, noting that uploading something dramatic too soon ruins the mood (but makes the readers happy-at least on the average)**

**Special thanks to:**

**Newest Readers (Please stick by me until the end! I promise to make it worth your while…while messing with you in the process :) ):**

**KawaiiAnimeLover7169**

**QuietRiver**

**My Other Amazing Readers (I love reading all your reviews. They make me extremely happy, so don't stop…ever:) ):**

**StrawBerrybell**

**PASSION244**

**One2bLoved**

**WaterBlossom1**

**sakura the lover**

**sandwich-chan**

**Namine-sama**

**Kakashi500**

**Also, if you guys would like me to give you some feedback on a new story you've written ect I'd be more than happy to. Just let me know :)**

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NARUTO!!!" Sakura shouted as Hinata raised two fingers and aimed them at Naruto's neck. As she ran over to them she grabbed hold of Hinata's wrist to hold her back. "Hinata snap out of it!! Naruto isn't the one who hurt you!! Hinata!!!!!"

The dark haired girl looked back at Sakura's pleading eyes and heard someone in a slithery voice whisper as he forced her to stare in his malicious yellow orbs:

_Remember these eyes. They shall haunt you forever, hime-chan(__**translation: princess. Since she's the heiress of her clan she technically IS the 'hime' and he added the suffix chan to mock her.**_

When she realized that neither Sakura nor Naruto had these yellow eyes, her own orbs returned to their normal obsidian state and collapsed onto his chest which rose and fell with relief.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked as she dragged her off him. "Yea, I'm just a little shaken…why'd she suddenly snap on me like that?" Naruto asked as he sat up.

"You must have said something to trigger her memory. She has deep hate for whoever did or attempted to rape her. Like Shikamaru said, when you trigger her memories, she'll relive it, and she's unreachable."

"So she did try to kill me. What made her stop? Was it your voice?"

Sakura thought about this for a moment. "I don't think so, because I was attacked the other night and a few minutes ago she looked me straight in the eyes, but I didn't see Hinata at all, just pure blind rage and hatred… I think she realized that you weren't the one who raped her, and it made her lose consciousness."

"But what made her realize that I wasn't the one who did that to her?" Naruto asked as he looked down at the girl who was sweating and unconscious. Sakura shrugged. "We'll just have to let her tell us. Even though she can't talk, she might be able to write it down. Do you think she remembered a feature on her rapist's face? Like a scar or the color of his hair?"

Naruto ruffled his hair, frustrated. "I don't know…all I know is that I never want to trigger her memories ever again. Who knows if she'll try to kill me again...Sasuke was right, she is dangerous."

"Only when she tries to remember the night she got hurt. I'm sure I'd be the same way if someone had done that to me." Sakura defended. Naruto looked down, guiltily; she had a point. "But enough about that. We should probably be getting back anyway. How'd you manage to get out anyway?" she asked as they bagged Hinata's clothes and put her over his shoulders.

"Yoroichi told me that you two went to town. Kiba went off somewhere to find Shino and Sasuke's gonna be locked up in his office for the rest of the day, so I got bored and went looking for you."

"Isn't that against the rules? The elders got on your case about leaving did they not?" Sakura asked when they loaded the kago. Naruto turned to grin at her. "Exactly. They only get on my case because they think Sasuke shouldn't 'associate' with me."

"But…haven't you lived with them for awhile now?"

"Aah. Since Sasuke's father was in power and his grandfather had just retired. I was an orphan. Sasuke found me in the woods and took me to his father who pleaded my case to the elders…I remember that day like it was just yesterday…"

"_But Fugaku-sama! You're being entirely unreasonable!!" protested the elders dramatically. Fugaku kept a cool expression as Naruto stood on his left, barely as tall as his knee._

"_I believe that having a boy Sasuke's age would do him some good, teach him to share and the reward of having a friend by his side."_

"_He can make friends with the Hyuuga boy, someone of equal status with him!" protested another. Fugaku frowned. "And what's wrong with this boy?"_

"_He's a peasant boy; nuisance to society! I'm sure the troublesome boy's parents probably left him in the woods-"_

_His eyes turned a blood red. "__**Don't you EVER talk that way again**__." He growled at them. Fearfully, Naruto stepped back a little. At his age he had never seen someone so enraged. Even the elders moved back a little, intimidated by the Uchiha's fury._

"_Just because he doesn't come from a royal family makes him trash. Anyone of a higher status who talk as though they are worthy among Gods are trash, not boys like these." He looked down at Naruto and gave him what seemed to be a failed reassuring smile then looked sternly back at the elders. "We aren't finished with this." But when he tried to walk away, a raspy old voice spoke._

"_Fugaku. This matter isn't over. Do not flee from this if you want the boy to live." It belonged to Sasuke's grandfather who had appeared at the door._

"_You all should be ashamed of yourself, talking the way you are about a poor boy that's left alone in the world. I'm disgusted by the way your hearts have been turned to stone."_

_The elders lowered their heads guiltily as the old man went on. "How can we, men of power turn away someone in need? Is that not what a lord and his council for?" He paused to look at Naruto."But I will not allow anyone to live under this roof unless they behave like civilized human beings. Is that understood?"_

_Shyly but happily he shook his head enthusiastically. The old man, still intimidating but kind smiled at the blonde-headed boy. "The boy is to stay here for as long as he wishes for that is honorable among the Uchiha name. If anything is to happen to this boy his pain will be exchanged with your lives I will not tolerate corruption either." He told them harshly as Fukgaku, his grandfather and Naruto exited the conference hall._

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"_I'm sure you'll like it here, Naruto." Fugaku told him confidently as they walked along the garden path lined with thousands and thousands of flowers. "Why don't those people like me?"_

_He looked down. "Some people in this world believe that status is everything. It doesn't matter whether you're moral or benevolent, only money and how much power you have. That's why this world is doomed." Grimly, Fugaku met Naruto's blue eyes which were filled with innocent confusion, so he relaxed._

"_But don't let anyone call you trash just because you aren't from a royal family...can you do me just one favor, Naruto? It is all I can ask of you, not as the Lord, but as a father."_

"_What is it?"_

_Fugaku bent down so he could talk to him at near eye level. "Please take care of my son, Sasuke. He's a good boy, but sometimes he can be hardheaded- whether it's from loneliness or whatever other reason. Be a good friend to him, I'm sure after awhile you could smooth out some of his…rough edges. Can you do that for me?" he asked him, holding back a smile as he tried to be as serious as possible and outstretched a hand._

_With a toothy smile Naruto took the man's hand. "You got it!"_

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"And I've been with him ever since." Naruto told her. They were sitting on the edge of the kago entrance now. "I don't know much but sometimes I think that he could predict the future."

"You think so?" Sakura asked him. He nodded. "I feel like Fugaku-sama knew that his death was coming, since he had talked to me as if there wasn't anything he could do to help his family…"

"Is that one of the reasons why you stayed?"

Naruto thought a moment before shaking his head. "Not one bit. I've been with Sasuke and his family for so long, I practically became family to them." He looked at her and grinned again. "Besides, if I decided to leave I wouldn't have any other place to go."

An awkward silence came over them before Naruto spoke again. "I wish you could have spent a day with us. Sasuke and I would always get into trouble when we were left alone. But no matter how bad we screwed up Sasuke's dad would never punish us, his mother would scold us, but give us the sweetest smile….until Sasuke got older and he tried to show me the Uchiha secret room…when I saw the anger directed at him I could barely stand." Naruto paused to shudder.

"I couldn't begin to explain his expression…but I can tell you this. When an Uchiha gets mad their eyes turn a bloody red, and their pupils disappear and little black comma looking things appear...it's hard to explain, but when you really see them…it's the last thing you'd ever want to see again."

Sakura looked at him. He looked pale by the thought of it. She decided that she should change the subject. "How about we do a little more shopping before we go back to the castle?"

"But what about Hinata-chan? Isn't it wrong to leave her here? She's dangerous after all." He asked, surprised by her offer.

"She'll be fine. I'm sure these big strong kago pullers will be able to hold her down. You said so yourself, the elders get on your case every time you leave, so why not have some fun and really give them something to be pissed off about?"

Naruto looked at her surprised before a wide Cheshire cat grin appeared on his face. "I like the way you think. Are you sure you want to piss off the elders on your second day at the castle? They'll get on your case about everything like me and Sasuke."

She smiled back as she hoped off the kago. "I think I can take it. Besides, you said that everyone's gonna be busy for the next couple of hours. Why not kill some time? I needed to get Yoroichi-san and Fuuyuki something. We had a deal that if they allowed me to take Hinata shopping for the day I'd get them something from Konoha, since they hadn't been outside castle walls in awhile."

"Race you down the street?" Naruto asked with the toothy smiled remained. "You're on." Sakura replied, equally grinning before they shot down the street.

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Sasuke sighed as he leaned back in his seat. He had been sitting in the same spot for over an hour, doing nothing but stamping and reading papers- which was not his idea of fun.

'_I wonder if she found something to keep her busy…' _he wondering thoughtfully as he put his feet on his desk. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't keep his mind from wandering about Sakura. He still owed her a tour of the castle but wondered if he would ever be able to give her one, with the work the elders were throwing at him.

When he glanced at his desk and saw two large stacks of papers sitting on his desk he groaned under his breath. Until there was a knock at the door he shot his feet down and pretended to be busy when someone walked in. Fortunately, it was Kaito who shut the door behind him.

"How're you holding up?" he asked as he sat down on the window ceil next to the bookcase.

Sasuke let out a puff of air before he put his hands over his head."They're only piling up this much work because they're pissed off that they couldn't get on my case about me letting Sakura and Hinata stay here…"

"You know why they're being so nit-picky, Sasuke." Kaito told him as he watched Sasuke's expression turn bitter. "Aah. I know." Ever since he had refused to marry the princess of the water country to bind both nations they had been extremely angry. "Why can't they just let me live my life they I want to? I shouldn't have to live up to their expectations. I'm the lord, not them."

"I understand the unfairness in this predicament, but until you turn 18 you're technically still entitled to them making some of your decisions. If your father was still alive I'm sure he wouldn't allow any of this but…."

"I know." He interjected harshly. Of all times to remember his father being dead this was one he refused to allow. "Why can't they just leave you in charge? Didn't grandfather say that as his dying words? That you were the sole caretaker?"

"It's true that he entitled me to take care of you, but the elders notice that I am getting old. I have, after all served the Uchiha clan for many decades. I'm withering away, and Saito took a chance to get rid of me. That is why they're sending for another advisor, someone younger."

He let out another puff of air before hitting the desk with his fist. "Damn that Saito. He has it out for me."

"That's nonsense, Sasuke, no one has it out for you-"

"He's lectured me about everything since I was little, Kaito. Everyone knows that he thinks that leaving me in power instead of letting the elders take control or turning the throne over to the Hyuugas is obsurd. He's had it out for me ever since Itachi…"

Kaito lowered his head and sighed. "I agree that he has resented the Uchiha clan after your grandfather and father were murdered, but if he 'had it out for you' don't you think he would've had you assassinated when you were younger instead of waiting until you were strong enough to put up a fight?"

"Saito works in strange ways. But if I ever find out he's plotting against me or my castle, I'll kill him myself." He replied.

Kaito smiled bitterly. "Does it really have to come to killing, Sasuke?"

"There isn't any other way to work with him, Kaito and you know that!" Sasuke argued as he stood up angrily. "He's hated the Uchiha clan for years, and me constantly rebelling against his wishes just makes him resent us more. But I refuse to be ordered around like I'm trash."

"I'm sure that if you rethink the water countries marriage proposal, you'll earn their respect-"

"I don't need to earn anybody's respect, especially not theirs!!" Sasuke yelled as he hit his fist once more on his desk, only this time the desk gave a loud crunching noise. Kaito averted his eyes when he saw the obsidian orbs start to flash red.

"I shouldn't have to live by anyone's standards, and I refuse to be forced into an arranged marriage."

"They can relieve you of your duties for refusing to marry, Sasuke. You must be aware of that." Kaito protested. "You are, technically, the last Uchiha in power." Sasuke sat down again. "I know. I know more than anything. But they can't remove me until 3 months after I turn 18th. I'm not going to worry about it."

He sighed. Sasuke never failed to be short-tempered and stubborn. _'It looks like Naruto is wearing off on him more than we could've thought.' _

That's when there was a knock at the door. "Uchiha-sama, we have a situation." This made Sasuke groan mentally. He never could have a moment of peace. "You may enter."

The guard entered and bowed humbly. "It has come to our attention that your guest, Haruno-san and the Hyuuga heiress Hinata-sama have gone missing."

Sasuke's heart stopped, barely able to keep a straight face. "Are they not in the infirmary?" he demanded, fighting the urge to run out and look for them himself. He shook his head. "The guards are searching the castle as we speak, but we believe that they have left castle grounds."

"And the gate guards let them out? Hinata is ill and is a danger to society." He told him as he stood up angrily. What if something had happened? The thought of standing at Sakura's gravesite made him sick to his stomach. If something had happened to Sakura...

Another guard appeared at the door. "Uchiha-sama we have a-"

"I know." Sasuke snapped harshly, making the guard step back a little. Nothing was worse than an Uchiha in a royally pissed mood. "I would like to inform you that Naruto is also missing."

'_She's with Naruto' _he thought as relieved filled him. He knew Naruto better than anyone, and he would never let anything happen to them under his watchful eye. Though he seemed unintelligent and incompetent when it was time to be serious, Naruto was his right hand man.

Sasuke sat down. "There isn't anything to worry about. They're in safe hands." The guards looked at him, shocked. "But Uchiha-sa-"

"There is nothing to worry about."

"You're positive, Uchiha-sama?" the guard asked, doubtful. Naruto had never seemed like the dependable type. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. "Naruto isn't as dim-witted as he appears. I've complete faith in him to return Sakura and Hinata back to the castle safely. You're dismissed."

Though still doubtful, they decided that another word out of them would annoy their lord, which was one rule the staff were afraid to break and bowed humbly. "Sir." And they took their leave, closing the door behind them.

Kaito looked at him. "What makes you so sure that Naruto isn't in trouble himself?" he asked, amused by his reaction. This time he smiled. "He's careless, but he isn't stupid. Naruto probably got bored and snuck out to get some ramen from town and took Sakura with him- who most likely convinced him to take Hinata along."

"And if you're wrong?" Kaito asked, somewhat doubtful by Sasuke putting his complete trust in Naruto. Sasuke put his feet back on his desk. "I doubt it. But he'll put up a good fight if I am." And with that he grabbed a small stack of papers, a stamp with the Uchiha seal on it, and leaned back in his chair.

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Sakura laughed merrily as Naruto put his head down on the table, next to the stuffed bear-soldiers they had bought for the guards. "You should know better than to attempt drinking a smoothie so fast. Now you have brain freeze."

He held his head miserably. "I can't help it, it's just so good…" he complained before trying to slurp it slowly.

The two had gone to nearly every shop in the Konoha shopping district and decided to stop and try a smoothie which they had swindled into getting half price, with the mention of Sasuke's name.

"So how are you liking your stay at the castle so far?" Naruto asked, trying to make a conversation with her. He had never dealt well with silence, but successfully watched her eyes light up. "It's more than I could've ever dreamed. This sounds cheesy, but I never realized that Konoha had such a large castle."

"Well it IS a mountain castle after all. I'm sure if you travel to the thunder or rock country you'll find castles 10 times larger than the Uchiha one. The terrain's mainly rock after all. But size isn't everything."

Sasuke took a sip of her strawberry smoothie before speaking. "I couldn't imagine anything bigger than the Uchiha castle. It seems unreal."

Naruto smiled. "You should take a trip up to the library sometime and find the file on the rock country. On the front page is a clip of HALF of one of their castles. They're humongous." The pink-haired woman had to do everything in her power to stop herself from letting her jaw drop. "Looks like we have an activity to do when we get back- at least until Sasuke's free. He still owes me a full tour of the castle."

Naruto decided to ditch the straw and gulped down his smoothie painfully. "I doubt it. Sasuke hardly ever has any free time. The elders pack him on with work nowadays because they're pissed off that he isn't the obedient teenager a 'responsible' lord would be. But they forget that he's an Uchiha. They're like the fire their clan represents; they're untamable."

"You mean he's rebellious? _'Who would've thought…'_" Sakura asked. "I thought Sasuke was obedient, since he's so civil."

This made Naruto laugh. "Just wait. You haven't known Sasuke as long as I have. Though he's more civilized, deep down he's unruly and stubborn. It's just quieter than my rebellious nature. Everything the elders suggest he goes against and ever since Fugaku-sama died and they tried to put a leash on him he's been more stubborn than ever. The only person he actually listens to is Kaito."

"He doesn't seem to trust easily, does he?" Sakura asked, looking down at her pink smoothie. Naruto paused to suck down the rest of his. "I don't blame him. He's practically been alone his entire life. Without Kaito, Sasuke pretty much raised himself."

'_So we're more alike than I would've thought.' _Sakura thought. Though she had been raised by the Yamanaka's they left her alone for most of the things, trying to teach her to fend for herself, silently supporting her along the way. They had always been with her since her mother died, but she had always felt alone.

"But I wouldn't want to think of him any other way." Naruto added with a small smile. "He didn't always used to be so hardheaded. Until I started to rub off on him."

As Sakura finished her smoothie she stood up. "We should probably get back. We've been to nearly every shop in town after all."

"I guess. We should do this again." Naruto grinned at her. She smiled back. "I'm glad that you're here, Naruto. I'm not sure what I would do to kill time if you weren't."

Naruto couldn't help but flush. No one had ever told him that they were glad he was around. Though he knew Sasuke enjoyed his company, it felt nice to hear it, especially from a pretty girl.

When they made their way back to the kago, they found Hinata soundly sleeping. Relief waved over them as they climbed in and made their way back to the kago. Even though Naruto had not bought anything for himself he seemed to feel happier than he'd been in awhile, and something seemed to have changed inside him as a clearly visible gleam shined in his blue eyes.

He was definitely going to enjoy having Sakura by his side.

**TBC…**

**I decided that I should end it here so I could upload this and continue on the next chapter before the weekend is up :). Thank for reading this week guys**

'**till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	22. A Silent Rivalry for the Flower's Heart

**Hey guys. I'm really upset with one of the reviews I received last chapter. I think it's shitty when people turn feedback and mild constructive criticism into flames and insults. I love getting suggestions and ect, but pretty much telling me that "my story sucks" and that my storyline isn't unique is pretty ****GAY**

**This, truthfully, was merely something I had thought of in one of my HF (holy f#$) moments-which is when a story idea pops into my head at random times like 4 a.m. I never meant in the slightest for this to be so popular, and the ONLY reasons I continued was because of the amazing people who encouraged me to keep going.**

**True, I did make some of the characters OOC- ****PURPOSELY**** might I add- but as the story unfolded ****I planned to make them out to be how the manga/anime portrayed them****. After all, you can't suddenly play out a character with a certain personality (at the beginning) then suddenly mid-way change them to act drastically different. It's drawn out, gradual. **

**People forget that this is FAN FICTION and NO there isn't any specific way to write one. You can play them out whatever way you want to, so you can have fun, read other peoples' work, and improve at something you love and enjoy doing; writing.**

**Special Thanks To:**

**My Newest Readers (Thank you for clicking on this story and please stay with me until the end! I promise to make it worth your while as I make you laugh, cry, throw a chair, maybe even kiss a baby.):**

**Alayneni**

**Vampirexgrl**

**Miss Aerith (your story is amazing! I plan to review it a.s.a.p :) )**

**My Other Amazing Readers (please continue to stay with me until the end**

**WaterBlossom1**

**Kakashi500**

**PASSION244**

**one2bLoved**

**sandwich-chan**

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When Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata arrived at the first gates, they were greeted by the guards. "Hello Haruno-san, Naruto. Did you enjoy your time in town?" one of them asked.

She smiled. "It was fine thank you. When do you get off your shift?"

"Why do you ask Haruno-san?"

"I think you two have been working extremely hard and neither of you probably get the recognition you deserve. You two should take a break. It's not easy guarding the castle, no matter how peaceful Konoha is." Sakura told them. Naruto nodded in approval.

The guards looked taken aback. Sakura was right, they hadn't been recognized for the long hours they put in. "We appreciate your concern, Haruno-san." And they gladly let the kago in. Naruto smiled. _'Looks like Sakura-chan's gonna get popular around here...'_

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Sasuke stretched as he looked at the 2 large piles of paperwork he had recently just finished. He walked over to his window and was surprised at how late it was getting. The sky was already turning orange. Time flew by when piled with work.

He decided to walk around a little when he left his office, secretly wondering what a certain pink-haired girl was doing.

When he passed by a guard who bowed his head humbly, Sasuke decided to stop him. "Has Naruto returned yet?" he asked. "I've received word that Naruto has returned with Haruno-san and Hinata-sama. They were seen downstairs heading towards the library."

"Aah, thank you." Sasuke told him before the guard wandered off. He couldn't help but try to ignore the anxiety in his stomach. It had been hours since he last talked to Sakura, and he was curious to see what she had been up to all day, especially with Naruto by her side.

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When he made his way downstairs to the library on the main floor he heard murmurs and giggles. Sasuke followed the soft laughs before making his way down the long aisles until he came to the one closest to where Naruto and Sakura sat.

"Could they really be this big?" he heard her ask which made him stop.

"Some are, but their size, shape and color vary." Naruto replied. Though he couldn't see his face Sasuke could tell by the tone of his voice that he had a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

What could they possibly be talking about? Naruto was known for his perverse thoughts…could they be talking about…?

"Wow! This is **much **bigger than Sasuke's! Who would've thought…"Sakura mumbled under her breath. Sasuke choked silently. Could they be talking about him? Did she tell him about the hot spring? But how could she have seen…

Naruto laughed. "When you get used seeing them you'll realize they aren't that big…"

Finally, when he was red in the face with embarrassment he emerged from the next aisle which made the two look up. They were sitting on the feet sharing a book in their lap on the floor. They looked up. "Oh, Sasuke you're done with your work?" Sakura asked, still smiling.

"Oi teme, you're becoming a hermit. You're kinda red to…how'd you find time to go on a run!" Naruto grinned.

Sasuke glanced down at the book they were reading and realized that it was a book about castles. The thought of Sakura being as perverse and corrupted as Naruto made him feel ridiculous. _'She would never talk about something like that…'_

"Never mind," Sasuke said quickly. "The elders will have your head if they hear you left castle grounds again, Naruto."

Sakura laughed. "Relax Sasuke, we didn't go have across the country, only to town. And it was my idea in the beginning; he only went to look for me and Hinata. And if the elders get mad I'll take the heat for it. What's the worst thing they could do to me? I'm not bound to the castle, I'm just the guest."

"Yeah, calm down Sasuke, Shikamaru said she could do what she pleased and Sakura-chan wanted to let Hinata-chan see Konoha and get some clothes for her."Naruto agreed.

"But she's-" but before Sasuke could finish his sentence Naruto leaped up and dragged him away from Sakura's range of hearing. "We all know Hinata-chan is dangerous, but Sakura-chan said that she won't attack us as long as we don't trigger her memory and she when she realizes we aren't the ones who raped her."

Sasuke didn't speak as he stared at Naruto, then back at Sakura who was sitting patiently in the same place. "You're sure?"

Naruto nodded. "I'll take Sakura-chan's word for it."

That's when Sasuke noticed the sudden gleam that appeared in his blue-eyed friend's eyes as he said Sakura's name. Could something have happened between them? A hint a jealousy was brewing in the pit of his stomach, and it irked him to look at him. So he turned away. "Hn."

"She's something special, Sasuke." Naruto grinned as he looked at her. "She's going to get pretty popular around here in no time."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, trying not to sound as if he demanded the answer. "Well, it's hard to explain, but I mean who wouldn't like a pretty pink-haired girl who's interesting and fun to be around in a castle with hundreds of men? She's confident in what she does. I think she'll give the elders a run for their money…"

Suddenly, Sasuke felt a mysterious resentment towards Naruto. The same Naruto he had grown up with, that had always been there for him when things got tough or too much to handle. The same one…falling for Sakura.

_I don't own her. She's here to become a doctor, not on my behalf._

_Yet you're territorial when it comes to her. Is that because she claimed your first kiss and saved your ass from being trampled by crazed, obsessed fan girls?_

_No. She should be able to do what she pleases while she stays here._

_But you don't want Naruto to have any alone time with her. _

_It's not my decision to decide who she spends time with. _

_But you want it to be. If you didn't you wouldn't feel irked in Naruto's presence at the moment. Is that jealousy?_

_I don't know._

"…Ne, Sasuke-teme!! You spaced out! You really were cooped up in that room weren't you?" Naruto asked as he nudged him. Sasuke looked up. "Hn." He paused, thinking of a way to get rid of Naruto. "Oi, run down to the kitchen and get some food."

"Well me and Sakura-chan ate some food in town, and then we had smoothies, but I guess you could never have too much to eat." Naruto grinned. "Oi, Sakura-chan! Do you want anything from the kitchen?" he called as she looked up from the book.

"No thanks! That smoothie filled me up."

With a smile he walked out of the room. Sasuke felt glad at the thought of him leaving. Then confusion waved over him. What had gotten into him? Sakura had the right to spend time with anyone she wished…so why did it irk him so that she had spent the day with Naruto.

After dismissing this he walked back over to her. "You must be tired and hungry. When did you finish with your paperwork?" Sakura asked as she gestured him to sit down. "Not long ago. When did you two return?"

"We just got back. Naruto was telling me how big castles from other countries were and I was curious to see if he was bluffing…so we came in here to kill time. I'm not surprised you have multiple libraries in here."

"Aah. This used to be the main one. Most of the elders come here since it's closer. The library upstairs used to by my father's study."

"Is that why you're up there instead?"

"It's a possibility."

Silence wavered over them before Sakura added, "I remember I used to wear this red ribbon when I was little. My mother gave it to me for my 6th birthday because my hair had gotten so long I needed something to tie it back with. Though it was just something she had bought before she got sick that's one of my favorite gifts I ever received, and I used to wear it every day because it reminded me of her."

"Why don't you wear it?" Sasuke asked curiously as she stared down at the book. "When she died, it was hard not to wear it because it reminded me of her and how much I felt I needed her by my side. But after awhile, when I could go without wearing it, I felt like I accomplished something. I felt independent and that I could depend on myself from then on."

Do you still have it?" Sasuke asked in a low tone, the library was eerily quiet ,so his voice echoed.

Sakura nodded. "Aah. I would never throw it out. It's one of the things I have left to remember her by. But the more I take it out, the more I want to believe she'll come back, and I've been alone all my life."

"Not necessarily. Though it may seem like it you'll never be completely alone. It might not be much sometimes, but it's something"

Sakura didn't answer as she stared at the book again. Hair fell into her face, so her eyes couldn't be seen from his angle. "You can't do this by yourself, Sakura."

"I've been relying on myself for so long now…I don't know if I could stop thinking the way I do."

"It's possible. Life gives you losses, some more than others. But they're supposed to make you stronger and make you grateful for the people left, no matter how much time you have left with them."

Sakura met his obsidian eyes. Her jade orbs were gentle, as the pain she had suffered was visible. Though it was overwhelming Sasuke couldn't avert his gaze. "I guess…you're right…it's nice, having someone who understands you." Sakura told while a small smile curled on her lips.

Sasuke didn't look away. "…aah." He murmured trying to resist the urge to reach out to touch her face. _'You aren't meant to fall for her.' _He tried to tell himself. But if this was true, how come it was so hard to avert his eyes from the jade orbs before him. But he looked away when Naruto appeared with a grin and a tray full of sandwiches.

"Gai and Lee made these 'specially for us! These are really good…" he told them with a sandwich in his mouth as he flopped down in front of the two and held out the tray. "But we just ate Naruto…" Sakura protested, trying not to smile. He grinned behind the sandwich. "I know, but they smelled so good…I couldn't help it…try one Sakura-chan…"

Hesitantly the two each took one and took a small bite. Naruto was right; no one could cook the way Gai did. Without thinking the three happily devoured the tray of sandwiches.

"I should be getting back to Hinata…she's probably awake now." Sakura told them as she stood up. The men were reluctant to let her go, but nodded. "Shikamaru probably has it covered…why not stay here with us Sakura-chan?" Naruto protested

She smiled. "I appreciate you wanting my company, but I really should get back to her. He probably has a hundred more tests to run on her...I'll see you guys around." And she left the two. Neither of them stopped looking in her direction until they heard the door close.

When the soft sound of the door closing met their ears the two exchanged expressions then looked away. The look in their eyes made the air uneasy. Awkwardly, Naruto stood up. "I should probably take this tray back to the kitchen…"

Sasuke stood up as well. "Aah. I have more work to do as well."

As the two walked out of the room and went their separate ways they awkwardly said their goodbyes, but their thoughts did the opposite.

'_What was all that about?' _Naruto's mind demanded as he stared at the silver tray. _'I donno…but I didn't feel comfortable around him…' _Naruto thought, just as confused. Did it have something to do with him spending time with Sakura?

'_Don't tell me that you're letting a girl get in the way of your friendship? You've been friends for as long as you can remember…'_

'_Maybe Sasuke likes Sakura-chan after all….' _

'_You know the answer to that. The Uchiha Lord obviously has a soft spot for her but he's too stubborn to say so. Sakura-chan doesn't belong to him. She can talk to whoever she wants.'_

'_Sasuke's… jealous?' _He hadn't thought that Sasuke would ever be jealous of him in any way. It had always been the other way around.

'_Well he obviously isn't too happy that you spent so much time with her.'_

Naruto didn't know what to say, though he felt guilty, it felt nice to irk his friend in some way. All his life Sasuke had gotten everything he ever dreamed over, the envy of others, power, respect, and the hearts of every woman in Konoha, married or not.

And this time he had gotten the attention of the one girl who hadn't fallen for him.

But guilt wavered over him. His family had done everything possible for him, and ignoring his feelings for the certain pink haired girl didn't seem fair in the slightest.

'_All is fair in love's war.' _His mind countered. '_Besides, if he doesn't let anyone know how he feels about her, how is she supposed to know?'_

His thoughts were right. _'I'm sorry Sasuke…but you always get the girls. I'll give up when he admits he has feelings for her.'_

And with this, he ignored his thoughts and continued down to the kitchen.

But Sasuke's thoughts were so comforting.

'_Both of your feelings for the girl are getting in the way of your friendship.'_ His thoughts explained as he clenched his fists. _'Aah. I know. And they shouldn't.'_

'_But what can you do? It's not uncommon for friends to fall for the same girl-'_

'_I haven't fallen for her.'_

'_You shouldn't lie to yourself. It isn't healthy Sasuke.'_

'_It isn't possible to fall for someone in such a short amount of time, even for Naruto. He gets infatuated by pretty faces.'_

'_But you even know that Sakura is more than just a pretty face.'_

'_Aah. She's…interesting.'_

'_And that's what keeps drawing you more and more in. You found yourself a pretty, sensible girl and you're blowing it because you're too stubborn to admit this girl entirely fascinates you. How would you feel If she fell for Naruto'_

As much as he hated to admit it, a sick feeling came over him at the thought of this. Maybe he had feelings for her after all…

"_It's kinda nice, having someone who understands you."_

'_You understand her. That's all the more reason to have her to yourself. Use that to your advantage.'_

'_Hn.'_

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As Sakura walked down a long hall she hummed quietly to herself. Today had been interesting. _'Naruto's quite the character.'_

'_Do I sense a little interest?' _Teased her mind amusingly. _'Me and Naruto? He's a good guy but…'_

'_But what?'_

'_He's not…I'm not here to fall for any guy. I'm here to move closer to my goal of finding my father and becoming a doctor...' _Sakura thought as she stared at the wood flooring.

'_That's impossible-you're practically the only woman here living in a castle filled with hundreds of men who've probably haven't seen Konoha- or women- in years. By the time you get enough experience to summon Tsunade the men will be begging you to stay! Or are you still trying to convince yourself men are insignificant and only here for one purpose'_

'_I'm starting to realize that all men aren't bad…' _Sakura admitted, thinking back to days in the flower shop where she was hit on day in and day out, disgusted by every single one.

Until she met Sasuke, Naruto, and the men of Uchiha castle. All seemed to have a story behind them, and all of them were linked to Sasuke helping them out in one way or another. She had been entirely wrong about him; all the things she had assumed he was happened to be the complete opposite.

As she turned a corner she jumped, nearly running into Lee.

"Sorry about that..." She apologized. "Oh, Sakura-san please, do not apologize. Were you headed to the infirmary?" he asked politely.

Sakura nodded. "Aah. Shikamaru is probably running another 20 tests on her and I figured she might need some company. How about you?" she asked as the two started walking. "I was on my way to the bath house."

As the two started walking, Lee asked. "How are you enjoying your stay at the castle?"

Sakura was starting to realize this question was something they were using as "small talk." "Most places are still unknown to me, but I'm meeting and getting to know more people."

Lee smiled. "I will take some getting used to. I remember when I first came here, I remember it like the trees remembering their petals in the comfort of spring, I had gotten lost so many times I feel as though the entire staff has had to save me at least once."

Sakura laughed as she stuffed pink hair behind her ear and noted that this particular boy talked a little strangely, but decided he meant well. "Well I hope I have more luck than you have while I stay here. But I'm confident that I'll get help if I run into any dead ends. Sasuke was supposed to give me a tour of the castle but…"

"But what, Sakura-san?"

"He's always so busy. It's not easy being a lord I guess. You never have any time to yourself, and you have to put your entire countries well-being before your own, so self-sacrifice is probably daily for him."

Lee nodded. "I have always admired Sasuke-sama since I was taken in at a young age. No matter how much he has lost he has always kept a straight face, and has always been kind to me. Sasuke-sama even found me a job to do, since I was too young to guard anything."

A smile curled at her lips as she imagined Lee as a tiny dark-haired boy with the same bowl haircut attempting to hold a spear 10 times his size. "Aah. Though I've only known him for a short while, I feel as

though I could trust him with my life. He's helping me become a doctor worthy to work alongside Tsunade-sama."

"That is an incredible ambition, Sakura-san! I am envious. I have never had such a dream. It makes me feel foolish." He told her sheepishly as they turned a corner. This made her giggle. "Don't feel that way. I'd give anything to live such a peaceful life like yours."

"What do you mean, Sakura-san?"

She hesitated but decided to fill him in. "I need to become a doctor to find a certain someone…and Tsunade-sama can help me."

"Who is this person? Are they someone close to you that you lost as a child?" Lee asked curiously. She shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips bitterly at the memory of the man with her jade orbs. "I wish it were so. You could say that he caused me and others a lot of pain."

Lee noticed the bitterness of the subject and decided to change it. "I'm sure that you will fulfill this goal, Sakura-san. By the way, if you do not mind me asking, how are you and Sasuke-sama? I mean, you seem so happy when you two are together, do you plan on-"

"There isn't anything going on between me and him." She interjected more quickly than she should've. This made him grin. "It is alright. You do not need to tell me your personal life. I am more envious of Sasuke-sama than I have ever been; and I am positive that I am not the only one, Sasuke-sama is extremely lucky to have such an extraordinary girl by his side."

"Lee, Sasuke and I aren't-"

"I mean you're pretty and smart….you are kind to everyone and you have big dreams…you-"

"My relationship with Sasuke isn't like that at all!!" Sakura interjected. This had gone on long enough. This made Lee stop. "W-What do you mean?"

She sighed, unable to look at the startled boys eyes. "I mean…Sasuke and I aren't seeing each other. I met him in Konoha a few days ago, did him a favor, and he offered to help me contact Tsunade-sama if I came here to help take care of Hinata- who's a possible rape victim, and mute."

At first, he was at a loss of words. "Y-You mean…you're here…because you owe him a favor? You aren't his lov-"

"No, Lee. I'm the farthest thing from it. I'm sorry if you were made to believe that me and him were-"

That's when he grabbed her hands, almost seeming happy. "Please, do not apologize Sakura-san. In fact, you have made me very cheery with this truth you have enlightened me with. Thank you." He told her, giving her hand a small squeeze and hurrying off.

'_He is one hell of a strange guy…' _Sakura though as she watched him hurry down a corner and disappearing before she opened the door to the infirmary and stepped in. _'Ah well. At least he's nice…'_

**TBC…**

**I wasn't sure how to end this, so I'll end it here. I'm just going to end my little after story words since it's almost 1 am.**

**Also: SasuxSaku fluff in the next chapter, so look out for it!**

**Till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	23. Kiba's Tale

Alright

**Alright. Seriously. To Subaru-kun:**

**Seriously. You're a hypocrite. You say I'm acting like I'm ten yet you're acting like your six. You already said you don't like my way of writing, so why bother to read it anyway? To relay messages in reviews then take the time to read what other people said about it? You must have a lot of time on your hands.**

**By the way, I never said you had to "sugarcoat" your reviews to me, and yes you're entitled to your own opinion but you don't have to be a dick about not liking it. I'm not forcing you to read anything, or even review for that matter. **

**I do the things I do to create pieces that are different than others, and I like to put my feelings into it. It's how I've always written, and because of it people usually like it. And I think it's stupid to argue with some person on a fanfiction site, so grow up. Simply stop accessing this story and read something else. If don't like it, don't read it. It's that simple.**

**But now that that is all said and done, here's a special thanks to all my other readers :) **

**Animefreek23**

**ChibiWarri0r is D-E-A-D**

**xXSasuxSakuXx**

**PhamtomSoul103**

**animelover07821**

**sasusaku779 (I think you're awesome! You took the time to pretty much review every single chapter I've written on this, and that takes TIME.)**

**one2bLoved**

**WaterBlossom1**

**Kakashi500**

**PASSION244**

**i love hershey**

**fleeting thought**

**sakura the lover**

**Miss Aerith**

**Frog-Wallet**

**sandwich-chan**

**Namine-sama**

**0000000000000000000000000000**

As Sakura walked into the infirmary she found Kiba talking to Hinata who was lying quietly in her bed, listening to him intently.

"You'll be out of here soon. I know it's not easy being away from home. When I first came here I wished I could go back, but I knew I couldn't because…it no longer exists."

Hinata's expression changed solemnly as her eyes asked for an explanation. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you...see, my family and I went up to the mountains one year so my parents could spend some quality time with me and my older sister and get away from work. Until one day I got into an argument with them and ran away...I got lost and didn't find my way back for several hours. When I returned I found that a group of bandits had broken into our mountain cottage, burnt it down, and murdered my parents." he paused to look down and swallow awkwardly. It was hard to re-live the scarring memory.

"My sister's body was never found. I have a feeling she's alive somewhere. She was tougher than anyone I knew, and she was never alone or helpless since our clan, the Inuzuka's, made a pact in blood with dogs to stay loyal and protect one another."

Hinata touched his shoulder and smiled at him, as if trying to tell him not to lose hope. He returned it sheepishly. "Aah. I haven't after all these years. One day I'm going to find my sister, but I can't help feel as though I could've helped my parents if I hadn't run off in the first place-"

"But if you hadn't run off, you might've suffered the same fate as your parents," Sakura protested. Kiba jumped and turned around to find her leaning against the door frame. "Oh, it's just you. I can't help you with much if you need anything, Shikamaru left awhile ago." he told her as she shut the door and shook her head.

"I didn't need anything, I just wanted to check up on Hinata." she paused to drag a stool from nearby and sat down beside him. "I overheard your story, and I'm sorry that your parents died in such a horrible way."

Kiba waved his hand, trying to pass it off as nothing. "It's in the past. There's nothing I could do now, but if I had seen those bastards-"

"But what good would that do you? Would it change anything if you saw their faces- do you honestly think you could travel the world looking for them?" Sakura interjected. Kiba stood up roughly, knocking down the stool and watching it hit the floor with loud thump.

"And are you saying that they should just go free, as if nothing happened? Those bastards didn't just rob my family, they MURDERED them!" he snarled angrily, and to Sakura he looked as if he was a dog himself. "You don't know what it's like to lose your family and be left alone do you? You probably grew up in a perfect, sheltered home-"

Without much emotion changing on her face, she spoke. "But you're wrong…I've lost more than you think."

Kiba's expression softened slightly as she continued. "When I was young my mother became very sick, and my father stopped coming home for long periods of time, sometimes weeks on end. I ended up losing my mother, and one day my father left and never came back. So I was put in the care of one of my mother's closest friends, the Yamanaka's, who made a living selling flowers. I lived happily with them; they were always good to me, and their daughter Ino became my best friend."

"But when my mother died the townspeople didn't even give her a proper funeral because they thought nothing more of her than a common street whore-since she had me out of wedlock." She told him quietly before forcing a smile. "Some even treated me different because I didn't have brown eyes and hair. So you see I haven't had the luxurious life you think I did. I'm a poor flower shop owner living with her best friend because I was deserted when I was little. "

Kiba looked down guiltily. He realized that she had been left alone in the world at a young age, just like him. "If these people were such jackasses to you, why didn't you just leave?" he asked her, confused by her decision to stay here.

"I thought about leaving. Many times actually, but if you run away from your problems, nothing will get down. Being ridiculed taught me to 'dream big', and show people that I'm not trash just because I was born out of wedlock or the fact that I don't look like everyone else. I want to become a doctor worthy to work along side Tsunade-sama because I don't want to live up to peoples' expectations. And I want to find that son-of-a-bitch who left me and my mother for dead."

"You say that revenge will get you nowhere, yet you say you want to find your father." Kiba told her without a smile. She looked at him bitterly. "It's true, I should practice what I preach, but I want answers. The answer to why he left my mother to die alone on her deathbed. The answer to why he hadn't married her before I was born. The answer to why he was gone for so long and why he left in the first place…the answer…to if he loved us at all…." And all the pain she had hidden from the world appeared in her jade colored eyes.

'_How much has this girl suffered?' _he asked himself. Living alone had been tough, but the Uchihas had taken him in and showed him kindness; that not everyone in the world was cold-hearted and malevolent. But besides for her friend Ino and her family, Sakura had been shown nothing but hatred and resentment. She was scorned and ignored only because she was an illegitimate child, and her father had intentionally left her without an explanation as to why. _'Maybe…there IS more to this girl than just a pretty face.'_

"I can see why Sasuke chose you." Kiba told her with a light smile. Sakura had gained his respect. This made her look up and stare back at him. "Those eyes of yours; they have a lot to tell behind them. You're alright, Sakura."

She smiled back at him. "You're not so bad yourself, Kiba."

The two fell silent as Hinata smiled wearily at them. Though she couldn't speak, she was sure that they knew she supported them.

"Y'know Shikamaru's pretty pissed that you left castle grounds with Hinata. She could've hurt civilians."

"But she didn't, did she?" Sakura asked him. "He's more afraid of what will happen to his neck if a Hyuuga finds their heiress bruised and mute- in the hands of the Uchihas. Everyone's afraid that a war will start up."

"But she nearly killed you! How can you be sure that she won't try to do it again?" Kiba asked wildly. Maybe this girl was more hot-headed than she was clever

Sakura shook her head. "She only attacked me because she thought I was an accomplice to her rapist. When we went to town she attacked Naruto until she recalled something about the man. When she realized it wasn't Naruto, her eyes turned back to normal and she collapsed from exhaustion."

Kiba fell silent. "So you're confident she won't attack anyone but the person who raped her? How can you be so sure that she won't hurt someone else?"

Sakura smiled. "Because we're going to figure out whom her rapist is, and she's going to tell us. She's mute not illiterate after all." She paused to turn to Hinata. "Do you think you can tell us what you remembered about your rapist's features? Maybe you remembered his voice or a distinguishable scar?"

The dark-haired girl looked down and closed her eyes, trying to remember as hard as she could. Screams and strangled cries filled her ears once more as the wicked voice mocked:

_It's pointless to try and scream. No one is coming to your rescue. You are all alone. Why do you not use those powerful eyes of yours__** Hime-chan**__? Show me that you can defend yourself,__** helpless little**__**Hime-chan**_

Sakura watched the girl start to shake as tears streamed from her eyes. She held herself tightly, digging her nails into her arms, making them bleed.

"Hinata-"Sakura started, but Kiba but a hand over her mouth. "Keep quiet. She's trying to remember"

The pink-haired girl watched in horror as Hinata started to shake more violently, pulling her long hair and lowering her head. Sakura was sure that if she was able to talk she would be screaming. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and shot from her seat, wrapping her arms around the girl.

"Hinata! Snap out of it please! You don't have to hurt yourself anymore!!" She cried, holding the girl tighter. The girl started to shake less, but quiet tears continued to pour from her lilac-colored (they're actually not white they're a pale lavender :) ) eyes. That's when Kiba noticed her raise a shaking finger that was slicked with blood on the top and drew a word on Sakura's arm with it before collapsing back onto her pillow.

_**Eyes**_

"She remembered something about his eyes!" Sakura told Kiba who eagerly exclaimed, "Finally we're getting somewhere! Ask her-"

Sakura shook her head. "No, that's enough for tonight. But if she remembered the color of his eyes we know that the color isn't blue because she didn't try to kill Naruto, and it isn't green because I'm the only one in Konoha with them and when I was attacked she didn't give me a lethal blow."

Kiba grumbled impatiently. "That still doesn't narrow much down for us."

"But it's a start," Sakura reasoned optimistically. "We have to work slowly with her or she could get dangerous."

He scratched his head frustratingly. "Just how slow are we talkin'?"

"Baby steps. We can really break her if we don't gradually identify this guy." Sakura told him patiently as she grabbed a small towel and wiped the tears and blood off Hinata, and then her own arm, on which Hinata the word 'eyes'.

Kiba stretched. "Well it's not really my problem. I'm not the doctor. You and Shikamaru are-"

"Kiba, if you have the time, do you think you could come down here and help me with Hinata every now and then?" this made him look at her, as if she had just asked him his sexual preference. "Are you kidding?" he asked before heading towards the door.

"I'm not asking you to come here all the time, but she seems to like it when you talk to her." Sakura stood in front of him and looked pleadingly into his auburn colored eyes. " Please? The sooner we get her healthy the faster we can try and get her to speak."

The man let out a breath and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well…I guess…I could stop by every now and then…" this made Sakura smile happily as she grasped his hands in hers to thank him.

"Thank you, Kiba. I'm sure you won't regret it."

Kiba grumbled something and hid his embarrassment before telling her he was going to bed. She nodded. "Aah. Good night."

When Kiba left and shut the door behind him, Sakura slowly made her way over to Hinata who looked more peaceful. "I promise I'll make you well again. " She murmured to her softly before heading towards the door herself, shutting off the light, and leaving the room.

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When Sakura made her way back to her room she crossed paths with Yoroichi. "Oh, Yoroichi-san are you off your shift-"

"For the night at least. You sure do cause a lot of trouble, Haruno-san." He told her, hiding his smile. Noticing the twitching of his mouth, Sakura pretended to be solemn. "So I've heard."

"You know the elders will have a cow if they find out what you did."

"I'm aware of that, and I thank you and Fuuyuki for covering me," She paused. "It's better if I tell them what I did isn't it? That way, no one will be in trouble."

"But they'll monitor you so closely you won't be able to leave your _room _without an escort, Haruno-san! It's better if we get in trouble, without Uchiha-sama's approval they can't relieve me of my status." Yoroichi argued.

"I don't want to take any chances. I understand well enough to know that they'll find a way to kick you out of here if they find out you were involved…and because I personally came here on Sasuke's request, I'm sure whatever they do to me won't be so bad. So please, act as if you knew nothing of this, alright?"

"Haruno-san you don't know the elders the way the rest of us do." Yoroichi protested, taking hold of her wrist so she couldn't walk away from him. "They aren't friendly, and I think that secretly they could care less about Sasuke's requests. If he wasn't intimidating I'm sure they would have him assassinated. Don't say anything to anyone about this, but I believe they're just waiting for a chance to overthrow him."

Sakura fell silent. "You can't be serious…that's crazy talk, the elders are cold-hearted but they would never plot against their lord-"

"Don't be so quick to assume, Haruno-san. Since the late Fugaku-sama died and his brother Itachi went missing, the elders have wanted to hand over the power to a neighboring family like the Hyuugas. They think it's absurd that a seventeen year old boy is in power, and because he refused to marry the hime of the water country they've been criticizing everything he does…daily even." Yoroichi looked around before lowering his voice. "But if you DO decide to appear before the council of elders, take heed around the one they call Saito. I predict he will be the one that will betray Uchiha-sama."

When the two heard guards footsteps, Yoroichi took a few steps back and humbly bowed. "Very well, Haruno-san. Good night; may Kami be with you in your dreams." He told her on a monotone pitch as the guards came around the corner, pausing as well and bowing in her presence. "Good night, Haruno-san." They chimed as well.

She smiled meekly. "Arigato. May Kami be with you as well." When the two guards and Yoroichi started to walk away, Sakura call him back while noting that the other two had stopped as well. "What is it, Haruno-san?" _'What are you doing?!' _he asked though his eyes screaming something else.

"Could you tell Fuuyuki-san to check on Hinata one last time, alright?" she asked as she slipped him the bear she had gotten them in Konoha. As she clutched it in his hand he flashed her a grin before nodding professionally. "If that is what Haruno-san wishes. Good night."_ 'Thank you…Sakura-san.'_

When he spun around to walk with the other two she smiled and waved before heading towards her room.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

As Sasuke lied in his bed he stared up at the pale ceiling, unable to fall asleep he remembered Sakura's words.

_You owe me a tour, when you aren't busy, alright?_

Unfortunately he HAD been busy, and instead she had spent time with Naruto. 

But now he was free. Would she accept a short tour at this hour?

But before he could think twice, his body started to move and he found himself standing at his doorway. _'Move, idiot-you never know until you try. You aren't a kid anymore; you're allowed to ask and do what you please!'_

That seemed to give him the extra confidence he needed before he rushed out of his room, wandering downstairs to the third floor where Sakura stayed. 

Quietly, he knocked on the door. There wasn't any answer. "Sakura," he murmured as he knocked a little louder. Where could she be? Slowly, he opened the door wide enough to peek inside. There inside, with the glow of the midnight, Sakura stood there, and his eyes widened; she was dressing. 

Her light skin was illuminated by the moonlight in the dark room. As if she was in slow motion she pulled a ginger colored kimono over her creamy-skinned shoulders.

He took in every part of her; memorizing every curve he was able to see as her back was turned. Though his heart told him to shut the door quietly and knock once more, his eyes were unable to look away from the beautiful woman.

When she moved over to the window, he decided to shut the door and knock again. This time she replied, opening the door to peek her head out. When her jade orbs met his obsidian ones, he realized she looked surprised to see him.

"Sasuke? What is it? You look flushed."

"I-"

"Do you need something?" she asked, opening the door a little more. Sakura shifted her hair to the side and leaned on the door frame, still puzzled. "No…I wanted-"

"Is there something wrong?"

"Sakura." He interjected quickly. "I wanted- to give you that tour of the castle. I'm free now, after all."

"Oh, Sasuke…it's kinda late." She replied, twisting her face up. "It doesn't have to be the entire castle. I can show you the rest later."

The cotton-candy haired beauty fell silent, as if she was trying to decide mentally. "I don't know what to say…I mean…the time-"

"Then say yes." His eyes seemed to plead, and it made her give him as she gave him a light smile.

"I suppose…" but her voice faded when Sasuke grabbed hold of her wrist and quietly hurried down the hall. She had a feeling it was going to be an interesting night.

**TBC…**

**I'll probably upload on Sunday. Besides that frustrating reviewer I'm really happy with all the new readers (and the other amazing readers who've previously read/given me feedback) that I got this week. I hope you all we continue to stick by me as the story unfolds :).**

**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	24. The Unnamed Flower

**Hey guys I'm back with another chapter like I promised. Sorry for cutting it an interesting part. Like I promised, the fluff shall commence for the next couple of chapters :). Also, new characters will appear. I hope you all will like how the darkness of the plot will come alive in later chapters, but I can't do it without you guys. Continue to give me feedback and any suggestions or other things you'd like to see in Rose. I'll give you credit, and it helps me improve as a writer . **

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This doesn't seem like much of a tour." Sakura told him as she followed him down a dark corridor. It had nearly been 10 minutes and he hadn't said a word. "I want to show you something. Be quiet around here." Sasuke mumbled back to her. "If the guards see us-"but his voice died down when they heard footsteps. Swiftly he spun around, grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her over to a wall so they could be hidden by darkness.

Silently Sakura felt her back press against the wall and Sasuke up against her. He came awkwardly close to touching her lips as they stared back at each other, waiting for the guard to pass.

When he did, Sasuke quickly pulled himself away from her and mumbled an apology. _'This isn't fated..' _He reminded himself reluctantly. Embarrassed, she didn't reply as they continued their way through the dark hallway.

When they reached the end of the hall, Sasuke stopped instead of turning the corner. He felt the wall slowly, as if looking for something. She watched as his hand moved over to the candle hanging on the wall and became puzzled when he smirked.

But her puzzlement turned into bewilderment when he pressed the wall below it, and a soft click was heard. Soundlessly, part of the wall disappeared, revealing another hallway. Sasuke turned to look at her and smirked even wider before motioning her to follow again, jumping when the wall appeared behind them again.

"You can talk now. No one stationed here knows of this hallway." Sasuke told her in a normal tone. She let out an amused noise. "Incredible!! How'd you figure this out?"

"You figure out a lot, with Naruto at your side." He replied, clearly remembering exactly how the passageway was found. The two were scaling the walls, pretending to be on a secret mission, when Naruto tripped and bumped the wall where the button had been. They marked the switch with a candle, and it had been there ever since.

"Where exactly will this take us?" Sakura asked him when he grew silent again.

"You'll see." Sasuke replied. The excitement in his voice made the anxiety build in the pit of her stomach.

The two silently headed down the narrow part of the hall until Sasuke stopped suddenly which made her bump him accidentally. "Don't move." He told her gruffly.

"What is it?" she asked, also in a low voice. "Look closely." Sasuke replied as he told her to take two steps back while he stepped aside. Sakura observed closely before her eyes widened. In the glow of the dimly lit hallway she realized that Sasuke was right. "The wood flooring is different!"

"Aah." Sasuke pulled a small rock from his robe and tossed it onto the fake flooring. Part of it chipped off revealing a sea of sharp spikes below. Sakura's eyes widened even bigger as Sasuke explained. "It was built to keep trespassers from infiltrating the castle and finding out its secrets."

'_This castle is more incredible than I could've ever thought…Naruto should give it more credit.' _

"On the left side of this wall, directly below us is the elder's wing. If they hear anything they'll send the guards up to investigate."

"Won't it be hard to find us though?" Sakura asked, slightly confused. "It won't matter. If we're found out this passageway will be discovered."

The two fell silent, as Sasuke felt the right side of the wall. To her surprise he pressed two bricks; 3 apart from each other, and watched a stone staircase appear.

"Let's go."

When the two walked up the stairs, Sakura asked. "Is this how you get around the castle?"

"Occasionally." He replied, still speaking in a low tone for the walls were stone and would echo. "Do you know how many secret passageways there are?"

She watched him shake his head. "I haven't even found half of them. But somewhere hidden in the castle are the blueprints. One day I want to find them."

But the two stopped talking when they reached the top of the stairs and came to a wooden sliding door. He glanced back at her before smirking and pulling the door open.

Sakura squinted her eyes to adjust to the lighting before they widened and she found her jaw had dropped. "Oh…my…"

Inside the room Sasuke had taken her had a rounded roof painted starry and thousands of books on shelves and filing cabinets seemed to stretch beyond eyes view. "Is this…?"

"It's a part of the hall of records inaccessible unless you use this passageway." But Sakura no longer seemed to be listening as she wandered down the halls. The far end of the room held a different type of ceiling panels. A large mosaic Uchiha symbol seemed to leak in large amounts of moonlight which illuminated various plants of all sizes. In the middle was a mysteriously beautiful patch of flowers that seemed to draw Sakura in.

"What…are these?" she found herself asking almost breathlessly. "I've never seen such a flower…"

"They don't have names, but they're a type of lunar flower." He replied, walking over to her.

The flowers were white, but each petal had various blues, reds, and purples painting them, and in the middle bloomed yellow and white bulbs.

Sasuke pulled her attention away from the flower and was surprised when he found her pupils dilated. "Sakura," He told her, snapping his fingers.

When she snapped out of it she apologized. "Sorry…they seemed to be draw me in…"

Sasuke turned his attention to the mysterious flower patch. What could she have meant when they 'drew her in'? "Ne, Sasuke, why did you take me here?" she asked him in a soft voice as she at the patch again with a questionable expression.

"Come here." He told her, taking her wrist gently as he lead her over to the far left corner of the room. A tall bookshelf separated it from the rest of the room. In the middle of the flooring laid a circular rug with the Uchiha symbol on it. A desk was facing the left corner with a window with another mosaic-styled Uchiha clan symbol leaking in moonlight, and a low bookcase was directly across from the two.

"Does this room belong to someone?" Sakura asked looking around. The place looked well-kept, as if someone was in here periodically.

Sasuke shook his head. "None that I know of." He moved over to the shelf. "Everything you want and need to know about medicine are in these books." He paused to look at her. "You're welcome to use this room as you please."

"Really?!" she asked as her eyes widened happily. Sasuke nodded without much change in his face. "Arigato!" Sakura told him as she embraced him. "You don't know how much this will help me, Sasuke."

"There's a catch," he told her quietly, ignoring the burning in his cheeks. "You can only come here at night."

Sakura looked at him with confusion clear on her face. "Eh? Why?"

"It's not by choice-The room isn't accessible by day."

"Are all the secret rooms like this?" she asked looking through the many books. "Somewhat. Each room holds a secret or a puzzle you have to solve-"

"Why don't these pages have any words on them?" Sakura interjected wildly. The book she had picked up was blank, the next one as well.

The two quickly found that the books all seemed to be blank. Sakura ran a hand through her long hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't understand why all these books are all completely blank…it doesn't make much sense."

"Remember what I told you." Sasuke reminded her. Still confused, the pink-haired woman walked over to the desk and sat down; opening a book on medicinal herbs while making sure that the moonlight was hitting it.

Her eyes widened as the words in the book began to appear slowly but surely. The key was moonlight. "Incredible…" she whispered under her breath as she flipped through the pages, studying and taking a mental note of everything she saw.

"Do you know who was behind this?" she asked, not looking up from the book as Sasuke sat on the desk beside her. Sasuke shook his head. "Most likely someone from my great grandfather's time."

"Someone must've dedicated their entire life studying plants and herbs and caring for them with this much research…Do you think Kaito-san would know the person behind this?"

"It's possible," but he paused when he saw a book reflecting off the bookshelf. Sasuke carefully reached up and grabbed the object which turned out to be a small diary bearing the Uchiha fan. Inside fell out a picture of a young couple and one of the mysterious lunar flowers, only it was slightly different; the petals were white and stained with reds and oranges.

Sasuke opened it up and moved over to the moonlight he read:

_Day One- I have come across a secret room in which no one has seemed to have discovered. Though I had been down the hallway leading to this secret passageway many time, I have been unable to access it until now. I assume this room is only accessible at night…I've decided to use this as my observatory to study and breed medicinal herbs._

Sasuke flipped forward a few more pages.

_Day Fifteen- I've made extraordinary progress in transforming this room into my observatory. I've also developed a new type of flower that seems to bloom best in moonlight…this lunar flower maybe the answer to my prayers…_

'_Answer to my prayers?'_ Just what had he been praying for? He decided to flip towards the end.

_Day ??- I could not save my precious Belle. I could not evolve the lunar flower in time, and the Sickness took her away from me…all hope is lost. I've lost the will to fight off the sickness myself. If someone is clever enough in later generations to stumble upon my research, continue my fight against this disease, and succeed._

"What are you looking at?" Sakura asked, closing the book she was reading and walking over to him. He didn't look up as he spoke. "This man…"

When he handed the book over to her, Sakura flipped through the pages herself. After awhile she froze and closed it with a shaky hand. "He tried to save someone he cared about by dedicating his life into the finding a cure for a sickness slowly killing them…this disease might've killed my mother-"

'_It's amazing…what people will do for love.' _Sasuke thought as he stared at the pink-haired woman in front of him. "Sakura," he started, trying to think of something, anything to comfort her, but he was unable to.

"Sasuke…I- want to continue this man's research." She decided as she looked up at him. Sasuke looked at her wildly. "But Sakura-"

"He already noted everything he accomplished, if I use his research I might be able to find a cure to the sickness that have already claimed the lives of many….and if I do happen to find a cure, I might be able to get Tsunade-sama's attention when we contact her."

"But this could take years. This man went insane, desperate to find a cure to heal a loved one he couldn't save." Sasuke argued. But it was in vain as she shook her head. "It's worth a try. Besides, he died from the disease himself. I'm healthy and young. If I really try I'm sure I'll figure out how to stop or even prolong this disease. It killed my mother, Sasuke- maybe even your mother."

She seemed to hit a soft spot when mentioning his mother. He looked down as he remembered her bright smile and cheery attitude. No matter how stressful things got in the Uchiha household Uchiha Mikoto seemed to make everything alright. She never got angry with him; seeming incapable of raising her voice, and wholeheartedly supported the decision of take Naruto in.

And when she died, the happiness that had once filled the castle seemed to diminish, and everyone within it seemed to darken with bitterness. It would be years before the castle was able to overcome their grief of the loss of Lady Uchiha.

"_Sasuke-kun, promise me one thing." Mikoto had told him wearily, when she was still able to walk around. Sasuke, who was as tall as her knee looked up at her innocently. "What is it okaa-san?"_

_The woman, nearly a split image of him with her raven hair and obsidian eyes smiled warmly at him. "When you're older promise me you'll marry someone of your choice. Never let anyone force you into an arranged marriage. Otherwise you won't be the least faithful to the poor woman."_

"_Okaa-san, what do you mean?" he asked, puzzled. She chuckled before bending down to look at him at eye level.. "I know you don't understand what I'm telling you now, but I'm sure when your father hands the thrown to you, the elders will want you to marry someone of their choice; to tie lands."_

"_Is that a bad thing?" the young Sasuke asked, still not understanding his mother very clearly. She ruffled the young boy's hair playfully. "Not at all- if you want to form temporary treaties with neighboring countries that is. They will only stay Konoha's allies as long as the marriage is in effect. The moment you ask for….separation the lands will become enemies again. It's best to find someone of your choice, and marry them. That way you can be happy."_

"_But isn't a lord supposed to worry about his people's happiness first?" Sasuke asked as her expression seemed to change. "True, a lord is supposed to be selfless, but a happy lord will be benevolent just as an unhappy one will be malevolent. If you marry someone that will make you happy, your people will be happy as well."_

_Then she smiled at him. "But you won't have to worry about that, unless your brother decides to hand over the throne to you. Do you promise?"_

_The raven-haired boy grinned at her and nodded enthusiastically. "Aah!"_

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked, bending and leaning her head to the side so she could look up at him. The man seemed to zone out completely. But when he snapped out of it he opened his mouth to speak Sakura interjected, "You seem out of it; it must be fatigue. It's not easy being a lord overwhelmed with paper work. We should go. Can you lead the way out?" she asked.

"A-Aah." He replied as he motioned her to follow him. The two took the tunnel where they had entered and followed it down to the hallway where the passageway had appeared.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

Sasuke put his ear against the wall and listened for awhile, listening to hear if there were any guards nearby. When there wasn't he felt the stone, as if looking for the switch. When he found it, the main hallway appeared.

When the two stepped out the two hurried down the hall, occasionally stopping to let a guard pass by while the hid in the shadows. When they made it back to her room she opened it and stepped in.

"Tomorrow night- do you still plan to watch the stars with me?" he asked her, trying to sound nonchalant. Sakura seemed to understand and smiled. "I didn't plan on changing anything." She replied before pausing to thank him. "Thank you…for showing me that incredible room. I have a feeling I'm going to put it to good use."

"Think nothing of it. It was starting to collect dust and-"but his voice trailed off when Sakura leaned closer to him and kissed him softly on the cheek before murmuring in his ear, "Arigato."

And shut the door silently. _'Maybe…this man isn't so bad.' _She decided quietly before lying on her bed and drifting off into a deep sleep.

For awhile Sasuke stood there, holding his cheek which was now starting to burn a dark pink.

_Arigato._

Nothing more than one simple word; a word of thanks. But it had come from the mouth of a woman that appeared to be a flower herself; delicate and sweet smelling, beautiful and mysterious. No wonder the lunar flower seemed to draw her in.

After collecting his thoughts Sasuke walked back to his room, occasionally smiling to himself as the event replayed in his head.

_Maybe fate is wrong...or Kami loves to torture me… _he thought as he shook his head. Though she was the sweetest of flowers, Sakura was like a poison slowly corrupting the young lord…

…and he was enjoying every minute of it.

When Sasuke made it back to his room he flopped onto his bed satisfactorily. _'Maybe women…aren't so bad.' _He decided thoughtfully before drifting off to sleep; and for the first time in awhile Sasuke would sleep peacefully for many nights to come…

**TBC…**

**I decided to end it here to get this uploaded for you guys on time :). Though it wasn't total make-out action between the two, Sasuke's slowly (but surely) developing feelings for Sakura who's starting to realize that Sasuke understands here more than she'd like to believe.**

**Please stick by me until the end, because there's MORE fluff to come, MORE characters to appear, MORE alliances and rivalries, and devastating news!**

'**Till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	25. Sai

**I'm really happy about the amount of new (and consistent ones) readers I've been getting lately. I'VE MADE IT OVER THE 300 MARK WITH REVIEWS, over ****20,000 HITS,****99 people having this story on ALERT,**** and over ****70 people have either me or this story on their FAVORITES LIST!!**

**It's not as much as some of the other stories, but it's definitely, MORE than I would've ever thought this fic would get (since the others weren't half as popular). I honestly didn't know what sort of feedback I'd receive for this type of story :).**

**You guys are so good to me :), so I've been trying my hardest to give you guys good quality chapters. I've also been taking it slow, trying to draw you guys in more and more (especially with the SasuxSaku fluff). And like I said, I do the things I do to make my writing style differentiate from the other authors' on because I know the poor-girl-falls-for-rich-lord (vice versa) has been done before. I promise to add more fluff and drama ****very soon**

**Special Thanks To (These amazing people who've given me recent feedback. Without you guys I wouldn't have the confidence or heart to bother writing and encouraging suggestions/words :).)**

**I seriously love you guys. **

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The next morning seemed to go by dully after Sakura had bathed (this time without a certain raven-haired boy's unexpected company). _'I wonder if there's anything I can do to pass the time…' _she wondered thoughtfully. No one seemed to by anywhere in sight. _'They might be busy.'_

But she seemed to speak too soon when she crossed paths with Lee. "Ohayo, Lee." She told him with a cheerful smile. He returned it warmly. "Good morning, Sakura-san. Were you headed anywhere in particular?" he asked.

"Not exactly. Everyone seems to be busy, even this early in the morning." Sakura replied sheepishly. She felt foolish for wandering the halls absently. But Lee seemed to read her thoughts. "You have yet to get settled, Sakura-san. After all it is only your 2nd full day here. When you get acquainted with everyone it will not seem as though you have any time to yourself-but if you like…do you want to help me out in the kitchen?"

Sakura thought a moment. The gleam in Lee's eyes seemed to tell her this wasn't judt an innocent attempt to cure her from her boredom, but she pretended not to notice it and faked a smile. "I'd love to." _But I'll be damned if I have to wash dishes or this guy tries to hit on me!! Shannaro!! _Her inner self cursed.

When the two walked into the kitchen everyone seemed to stop what they were doing to look at the two. It was as if the cooks had never seen a woman before. "Everyone, I would like you all to welcome Sakura-san, who will be joining us this morning." Lee told them enthusiastically.

The cooks seemed to cheerfully greet her before returning to what they were doing. As Lee led her through the kitchen he introduced dish washers, cooks, apprentices, taste testers, and random people happening to cross paths with Lee and Sakura.

To Sakura's bewilderment, the room they were in at the moment was barely half of the entire kitchen. "Oh yes, the kitchen is broken up into three and a half rooms; the main room- where most of the mild cooking is done, the second room- which is bigger; normally for an important meetings or dinners, the third room-the largest part of the kitchen. Normally when there is a ceremony, event or special occasion this room is used. In the far end of this room is the door to the storage room and freezer.

The pink-haired woman stood in complete awe as she looked around. _'This castle keeps getting better and better…' _"You are welcome to get what you want, Sakura-san. Simply ask one of our chefs and-"

"WHAT A SURPRISE!! LEE YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD ME THAT YOU WERE BRINGING HARUNO-SAN!!" shouted a hearty, cheerful voice belonging to Gai who appeared behind a stove grinning.

"Gai-sensei it was completely a coincidence that I ran into Sakura-san." Lee replied, standing straight as a board. Sensei? Was Lee an apprentice?

"No excuses!! Now, what brings you here to our humble kitchen? Are you hungry? I SHALL PREPARE A FEAST-"

Sakura looked at him strangely, slightly overwhelmed by his personality before holding up her hands defensively. "I-no, I'm not hungry Lee offered to give me something to do; since everyone's busy."

"I see I see!! LEE!! Get right on that!!" he demanded. The boy nodded enthusiastically. "Ousu!!" the two watched Gai disappear before he let out a sigh and relaxed a little. It was hard to stand so straight. "Now then, is there anything in particular that you would like to do, Sakura-san?"

She thought for a minute, putting a finger up to her chin. "Maybe you can teach me how to cook something? If I learned how to cook more I could probably create medicinal herbs to heal wounds more easily-"

"Of course! I hope that I will be of use to you. First, we must get you the proper attire." He paused to miraculously pull out a cooking hat and an apron out of thin air. Lee led her to an empty cooking station. "Wash your hands thoroughly. Is there anything you would like to cook?"

"How about you pick?" she asked. _'This guy needs to loosen!! His personality is like a stick in the sand!! And what's with the formality?!' inner Sakura seemed to shout, obviously annoyed._

"I-I-I….umm well…"

"Start off with something easy. Then work your way up!" said a cheerful but gruff voice from behind them. Sakura jumped to see the chubby boy called Chouji appear behind her suddenly. It was the same boy Sasuke had introduced at her ceremony.

"Oh, Chouji perhaps you can help us choose an easy dish to begin with?" Lee asked as relief was shown in his eyes. "Hmm…well what about homemade potato chips?" Chouji suggest with a grin.

"That sounds interesting-"Sakura started, but when Lee seemed to groan she wasn't so sure. "You are only thinking about your stomach again!"

"I thought it was a good idea…" Sakura protested, but neither man seemed to be listening. "How am I only thinking about my stomach?! It was a perfectly good idea you ungrateful-"

"Ungrateful?? You suggested potato chips because you cannot resist devouring them when they are made or bought!" Lee argued. Chouji scowled. "Can you blame me? Potato chips are so delicious, and if you make them right yourself they will melt in your mouth like salty potato bits in your mouth-"

"That is if you make them wrong!! They're supposed to be crunchy not soft! You probably make them wrong!"

Sakura sighed. No one seemed to be getting anywhere, nor did anyone seem to be paying any attention to the obviously annoyed pink-haired girl. Exasperated, she slipped away, hurrying into the hall so she could no longer hear the ridiculous argument.

'_How stupid are men-arguing over potato chips!!' _ She thought, grumbling to herself. _'This is why I hate men. They have no common sense, no sympathy, no-' _

'_Except one.' _Inner Sakura reminded her. Automatically she knew that her inner self was talking about Sasuke. She thought about this. _'I suppose…'_

'_You suppose? Shannaro Sakura!! Use that brain of yours every once and a while will ya? Since you've been here that man has done nothing but help you. He gave you the opportunity to obtain your life-long goal- not to mention he showed you that secret room that you're allowed to use.'_

She had a point. Sasuke had gone through the trouble to help her as much as he could, regardless if he had time or not.

_Tomorrow night- do you still plan to watch the stars with me?_

Sakura's heart raced as she remembered Sasuke's words. Tonight she was to star-watch with him, and the promise she had made to Ino was the farthest thing in her mind. _'What if…he tries to…y'know...do something?' _she thought as something seemed to build at the bottom of her stomach.

'_Then let him!! You know deep down you want him to.' _Inner Sakura told her with a sly smirk which made her blush furiously. _'B-But what if someone comes across us…? Like Kaito or Naruto?' _

'_Then let them! It'll be their own fault if they come across something they wouldn't like to see on the average. Stop thinking about everyone else, Sakura!'_

'_W-W-WWHAT?! I'm not gonna do THAT with him!! Especially not on the roof of Uchiha castle…' _Sakura thought, blushing even harder.

But Sakura stopped in her tracks when she realized she didn't have the slightest clue where she was. In her annoyance and her mind wandering about 'other matters' Sakura had gotten herself lost…again.

"How come this always happens to me?" she groaned aloud as she started walking again until discovering a door. Puzzled but curious, she walked into it, surprised to find herself in a garden.

As she closed the door and looked around the sweet smell of grass and flower filled her nostrils. Only these flowers were much different than the ones she had sold in the flower shop. These smelt sweeter, and all seemed extremely well-kept.

But what she wasn't expecting was to find Sai sitting quietly next to a row of rose bushes, nose buried in what seemed to be a sketch book. Curiously she watched him, he seemed peaceful, undisturbed…maybe even happy.

'_Is this where he spends his free time?' _Sakura wondered thoughtfully. She was beginning to learn more and more about the people in Uchiha castle.

Unfortunately, as she took a step forward she stepped on a twig which seemed to crackle like thunder and startle the poor boy that shut his sketch book defensively and stood up. He relaxed when he realized it was Sakura.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I got lost, and I found this place." Sakura told him reassuringly. As he heard this he sat back down, murmuring something she couldn't hear.

"Is this where you spend your free time?" she asked, walking over to him as he continued to draw. Without looking up he nodded. _'Friendly guy, ne Sakura?' _her inner self asked sarcastically.

Upside down, she studied his drawings and realized he was sketching the garden. Though he didn't seem to be done she couldn't help but say, "That's really good! You're quite the artist."

"It's not finished, but thank you." Sai replied. _'He speaks!_

"Can I see when you're done?" Sakura asked, frowning when he shook his head. "You won't be around when I finish."

Puzzled by his reply she decided to sit down next to him. Though he didn't show it Sakura knew he was surprised by her action. "Then I'll just sit here until you're done. I bet it gets lonely out here all by yourself."

"I'm used to it." Sai replied dully without looking up again. "You shouldn't. With all the people in this castle, you should be friends with nearly everyone. You've been here awhile, haven't you-"

"It's not quite that simple." He told her softly. When she asked for an explanation he stared coldly into her eyes before turning it into the fakest smile she had ever seen. "People don't like to be around people like me."

Sakura frowned and turned to face him. "Why don't you show me your real face, Sai?"

But the fake smile didn't disappear. "I see that you can see through my smile." He told her. "To this day I have not been able to get it right."

She frowned. "Why should you have to fake smile? Smile for real." But he shook his head. "That isn't possible. I am without emotion."

'_This boy keeps getting weirder and weirder…' _she thought before speaking. "How are you without emotion? It isn't possible-everyone has emotion."

"Not me. I am different." Sai replied. "That's not true. You told me thank you when I commented you on your drawing which shows that the emotion is there." Sakura argued.

"If you don't mind, leave me alone." Sai told her before returning to his sketchbook.

Sakura scowled. "If that's how you want to be…"she snapped before turning to storm off but decided to turn and add, "you know you didn't have to lie to me. If you didn't want to talk to me all you had to do was say so!" But as she opened the garden entrance she found Yoroichi and Fuuyuki standing at the door looking at her grimly. "Sakura-san, please come with us."

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Sasuke dully looked through another stack of papers. He never seemed to have any meetings with other countries, simply papers stating this or stating that, asking for approval or an opinion on something. Kaito had told him he wasn't allowed to meet with foreign leaders because of his age. They had learned over time that it was seen as an insult for someone so young to have so much power.

'_Regardless of age I'm still lord of Konoha…' _he thought bitterly. Would things change once he turned 18 or even 20 or would they be the same?

But he was drawn from his thoughts when Kaito walked into the room. "You called for me, Sasuke?"

"Aah. Do you know of the secret room at the far end of the third floor? In the west wing of the castle?" Sasuke asked curiously. Since he had stumbled across the room with Sakura it was all he could think about.

"The lunar room? What about it?" Kaito asked, puzzled by his question. "Who was behind it?" Sasuke asked.

"Ahh, yes. Why it was your great uncle Uchiha Kaizo. The poor man had driven himself insane, locking himself up for days at a time in that room; desperate to find a cure to the Great Illness…the same disease that seemed to greatly affect the Uchiha clan."

Sakura had been right. This illness had claimed the life of his mother. "What is this 'Great Illness'?"

"It doesn't have a specific name because it is unknown. No one knows how or why people succumb to this terrible illness, but if caught it is deadly." Kaito explained. "This sickness slowly makes you bed ridden as it deteriorates bone marrow, causing the body to become frail and inactive. Then, the illness gradually spreads to your blood stream, attacking white blood cells; drastically decreasing your immune system. Eventually you become incredibly ill and your body shuts down. Until it finally claims your life."

"And Kaizo…believed that he could find a cure?"

Kaito shook his head. "He didn't have the slightest bit of faith that he could find a cure, but he devoted his entire life to researching and growing medicinal herbs to find a cure. It's said he created a new type of flower, a mysterious one that grows only in moonlight."

"Aah, it exists. He created two types of it. There's a large patch of it in that room, the other is in his diary."

"So he wasn't as demented as everyone seemed to think..."

"Did- you believe he drove himself to the brink of insanity?" Sasuke asked, relieved when he shook his head. "I do not. Kaizo wasn't the least bit crazy, but he became so obsessed with trying to find a cure by studying his mysterious lunar flower that Belle- his wife and the person he was so desperate to save- seemed to die alone on her death bed, receiving no support from her husband. I believe that if he had spent more time with her, she would've been able to go more peacefully. Belle blamed herself for her husband's strange behavior."

Sasuke looked down at his desk. He could almost see his great uncle, desperately trying to find a solution to an incurable disease, only to fail and lose the woman he cared deeply for. "Don't look so disheartened, Sasuke." Kaito told him reassuringly. "I don't believe that his work and diligence was in vain. I believe that he knew deep in his heart that he wasn't going to succeed in finding the cure, but that somewhere along the line someone would discover his effort and strive to succeed where he failed."

Automatically Sakura popped into his mind. "Sakura wants to be his successor."

Kaito looked surprised. "What gave her the motivation?" he asked. Sasuke looked away. "She thinks that this disease is the cause of both our mothers' deaths."

The old man put a hand up to his chin thoughtfully. "Both Mikoto and Saiyuri? It's definitely a possibility, and that's definitely a reason to want to devote her life to finding a cure. Do you stand behind this decision of hers?"

Sasuke thought about this. "Aah. I do."

This made Kaito smile. "I'm sure that Sakura-san would be very pleased if she heard that. You've grown very fond of her, haven't you, Sasuke?" he asked as he watched the young man turn away to hide his blush. "She's…interesting. I want to get to help her."

His smile grew wider. "I shall stand behind your final decision on how you really feel about Sakura-san when that day comes, Sasuke." He paused to look around. "By the way, where is the girl? I haven't seen her all morning."

"Probably down in the infirmary." Sasuke replied, but the feeling at the bottom of his stomach was telling him otherwise. He decided to hurry up and finish his paperwork before looking for her. "Kaito, ask around and find out Sakura's whereabouts. I'll look for her later." The caretaker nodded, sensing the quiet concern apparent in his dark eyes before leaving the room humbly.

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"It has come to our attention, Miss Sakura, that you left castle grounds with the Hyuuga heiress yesterday evening?" asked a kind-faced elder. Several feet above where Sakura stood in the room she had been taken to seated the elders; their wrinkled faces were eerily lit by the rooms candle lights.

Naruto had also been taken to the room, and the bitter expression he wore on his face didn't fail to make Sakura any less uneasy. After swallowing awkwardly she replied. "That is correct."

"And on what circumstance did you think that this was right, Miss Sakura?" asked a sour-looking elder. _Keep calm Sakura; they're only trying to intimidate you. Imagine how Sasuke would react if he saw you standing here looking nervous and unprofessional! Let's show them that Haruno Sakura isn't anyone to mess with!' _inner Sakura told her encouragingly, shaking her fists at the elders above.

Sakura took her advice and closed her eyes, breathing in slowly before opening them and staring back at them with a new glow shining in her jade orbs. "As a doctor-in-training I wanted to give my patient some fresh air. She's been behaving not to mention getting healthier and healthier each day."

"Yet you failed to put into consideration of what we, the Council thought of this decision. Did you regard the possibility that Hyuuga-hime might have endangered her life or the life of others?"

"I did. Naruto and I discovered that she will only attack those with a similar characteristic of her rapist's face."

"And that is…?" asked the kind-faced elder. "Later Kiba and I were delivering Hinata's medication when we discovered that she had remembered something about the man's eyes. Though she collapsed before telling us just what about his eyes she had recalled. It's possible it had been eye-color."

"And you believe she won't attack innocent civilians because of this characteristic-"

"That's completely absurd!! That doesn't ensure the safety of the people of Konoha!! Anyone can have the similar eye characteristic of this man! If she accidentally mistakes someone innocent she could endanger her life and theirs!" Saito argued, standing up with rage. "Calm yourself, Saito. You must give her a fair chance to plead her case." Commanded another elder who looked fair but stern.

Sakura's skin developed goose bumps as she stared into the cruel man's eyes.

_Take heed around the one they call Saito. Me and many others believe he is the one that will betray Uchiha-sama. _

Yoroichi's words seemed to play back into her mind almost as quickly as the old man had spoken. Though he was old, he seemed to be among the youngest seated above her."Now, Haruno-san since you are here upon Uchiha-sama's request, we must assume you are above normal expectations."

"I believe I am. And yes, Saito-san, I HAVE considered the possibility that Hinata could suspect the wrong man, but she is, after all, the Hyuuga heiress. I will put my faith into her accusation skills if we come to that predicament. And if she's wrong I will take full responsibility for it."

This made the elder who was seated in the middle of the council and directly across from her smile lightly. He was obviously the eldest and wisest. "You amuse me, girl. Very well. I shall second your decision. You are in sole custody of Hyuuga-hime until she is better. But heed my warning, you are to keep her on a low-profile. If a Hyuuga stumbles across her in Uchiha hands, a war will be started. Understand?"

Sakura nodded and bowed humbly. "I promise not to fail you. Shikamaru and I will continue to monitor Hinata's actions and slowly attempt to help her remember the night of the rape."

The elders except for Saito nodded in approval before watching Yoroichi and Fuuyuki escort her and Naruto out. "She's intriguing. Monitor her actions within the castle from afar. I have a feeling she will be of great use later."

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"You're incredible Sakura-chan!! I can't believe you stood up to the elders so well on your first try!!" Naruto told her with envy. Sakura hid her smile as they walked. "What I did didn't seem to be all that great."

"Oh, but it was Sakura-san!" Yoroichi told her excitedly. "You also gained the leader of the Council Yozu-san's, respect." Fuuyuki added.

"Is that worthy of praise?" Sakura asked, still puzzled. The men nodded. "Of course it is! If you have Yozu-san's respect he'll defend your decisions if the others decide to call upon you again."

"Which means that damned Saito can't bust you for every little thing you do!! You practically have more special benefits than Sasuke!" Naruto told her with one of his Cheshire cat grins. Sakura smiled to herself as her inner self chanted, _HELL YES!! I KNEW WE COULD DO IT!! There's no way I'd let some smelly old geezers push US around!! Shannaro!_

That's when Sakura remembered the conversation with Sai and it immediately irked her. "By the way, Naruto, what can you tell me about Sai?"

He looked confused by her question. "Why do you want to know about Sai?" the guards noticed her clenching her fists as she spoke in a calm tone. "I met up with him in the gardens when I got lost. I tried to start a conversation with him but he told me he had no emotions and to leave him alone."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. Though it was harmless it made Sakura mysteriously want to punch him in the face. "Don't take it personally Sakura-chan. He's always a jackass to people he doesn't know. When he came here I wanted to beat the living shi-"

"What he means, Sakura-san, is that Sai isn't exactly the most friendly at first. He says he's without emotion because he tries to get rid of them." Yoroichi interrupted.

"But why would he want to do such a thing? It's not possible…"

"We've tried to tell him that it is impossible, but it is useless. Before coming here Sai had lost the closest thing to family he had been given to that unknown illness. After that, he seemed to lose heart. He was devastated, and the grief was more than he could comprehend, so he tried to rid himself of his emotions."

'_So he lost someone important to the sickness too…' _Sakura thought guiltily. No wonder he wasn't quick to let anybody else in. "And that's why he gave me such a fake smile."

"Aah. I don't believe my entire time seeing him here have I seen him smile, I couldn't say others know differently either-"

"I can…" Naruto mumbled under his breath, causing the attention to turn to him. Nervously, he elaborated. "I was talking to him one day, about Sasuke, and…"

"_That damn Sasuke!!" Naruto said angrily punched the stone wall in the courtyard. Sai who had been sitting a few feet away from him stopped drawing to look at him strangely. "Could you please keep it down? You're an annoyance." Sai told him with a fake smile._

_Naruto who had already been in a 'pissed-off' mood stormed over to him and lifted him up by his shirt. "Don't pick a fight with me damnit!! I'm not in the mood!!" he snarled._

_Sai said nothing as he stared back at the blue-eyed man whose temper, most of the time, got to him. After deciding that it wasn't worth it to take his anger and frustration out on Sai, he let go off him slowly. _

"_Sorry." He mumbled through gritted teeth as he sat down next to him. "Sasuke…really pisses me off sometimes."_

"_If he does, why don't you leave the castle? You should be content living here, not burdened." Sai replied. Naruto scoffed. "No matter how pissed off I've been at Sasuke I haven't once thought about leaving. There wouldn't be any other place to go." He paused to grin at him. "And I made a promise to his dad that I'd watch over the bastard. Besides, he's my best friend."_

"_Best friend...?" Sai repeated. Naruto nodded. "You could even say he's my brother. And the bond I formed with him since we were little is too strong to break. No matter how much we fight I know that he'd be lost without me by his side and he could say the same for me."_

"_Bonds…" Sai repeated more slowly which made Naruto look at him strangely. "What are you, 5? Speak in whole sentences or-"but his voice trailed off when for the first time since Sai had arrived, he watched his mouth curl into a real, genuine smile. _

"_I want…to form a bond…with the people of Uchiha castle." He replied making Naruto grin. "Finally you're opening up!! 'Bout damn time!"_

He couldn't help but smile at this memory as Sai had later told him the reason behind him wanting to rid himself of all emotion and a "bond" had been formed between them.

"Maybe…Sai isn't as bad as I thought he was." Sakura said, more to herself than the men. _Yeah…and maybe he isn't such a cold-hearted, crazy, emotionless bastard who I wanted to deck sooooo bad…' _inner Sakura told her as she punched the air.

Fuuyuki shook his head. "He's just…different, more injured than others. I'm sure that if you don't give up, Sai will start opening to you. He's secretly a soft, kind man, just not the most trusting."

When they reached the end of the hall Yoroichi and Fuuyuki had to say their goodbyes. They were still on their shift after all. That left Naruto and Sakura who decided to go to the kitchen for food.

At first, Sakura was reluctant. After all, Lee and Chouji had been arguing over potato chips earlier. Who knows what they would be arguing about now? But Naruto had been persistent, and before she knew it she was being dragged into the kitchen to face the bowl haircut, bushy-browed man once again.

She was in for one hell of a day.

**TBC….**

**I decided that I needed to put a chapter of stalling in before getting to the good part- which will be mid-way in the next chapter :). I wanted to get this up on Tuesday since I got out of school early, but I've been losing sleep with all the pre-spring break exams coming up…**

**Next upload should be Sunday night (quick, I know!) depending on how busy I am….I have church and then almost directly afterwards I have a concert to play in. I can't wait for spring break…**

**But anyway, 'Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	26. Stargazing

Hey guys I'm back again with another chapter

**Hey guys I'm back again with another chapter. I've been extremely busy lately and it really blows which is why this is so late. I'm really looking forward to spring break…and I'm AMAZED at how popular this is getting!! I can barely keep up…I think this is the longest amount of reviewers ive gotten!! Please keep it up guys!**

**And, alayneni, I know Kakashi hasn't made his appearance yet, but unexpectedly I've decided to add another character into the mix next chapter. :)**

**I've also decided to save the fluffiness for the end just to mess with you guys. Heh. And I have to admit that this is definitely LONGER than I've made my previous chapters (you decide if it's a good thing). **

**Special Thanks To: (These guys are amazing. First time readers, please stick by me to the end. I'm unpredictable, and I love to throw things at you, but I promise to make it worth your while, if you'll encourage me to keep going!!)**

**Riley owns (new reader!)**

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**-'MyLoveLeaksMyHeartBroken'- (new reader!! And your name is awesomely long :) )**

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When Naruto and Sakura made it to the kitchen they were greeted by Lee and Chouji bowing to them. "Our apologies for this morning, Sakura-san!" Lee told as he attempted to bow lower. "Yea, we're really sorry."

Sakura crossed her arms, trying to seem mad. "It was over something completely ridiculous and instead of showing me which one of you was right you ignored me and argued like little kids." Naruto amusingly watched.

"We know, we know and we vow not to ever argue over something ridiculous in your presence again!" Lee added desperately. "Please forgive us and accept our apology cake."

The two moved aside to reveal an extremely large golden cake iced to perfection and decorated with strawberries in the shape of flowers. Sakura was unable to hold in her astonishment while and Naruto's jaws dropped to the floor in amazement.

"We spent all morning baking this cake, so please accept it." Chouji told her sheepishly as the men watched her lower her head and start to shake softly. "S-Sakura-chan? Are you ok?" Naruto asked nervously before jumping back as the pink-haired woman threw her head back and laughed merrily.

"You two went through all this trouble to show me you were sorry?" Sakura told them as she wiped her eyes. Lee's lit up. "Does that mean you forgive me- I mean us?"

She smiled brightly and nodded. "I'd be heartless if I didn't. This cake looks absolutely amazing- almost too good to eat…" The men looked pleased as Naruto neared the cake anxiously. "Don't say that Sakura-chan…I'm dying to eat it…"

Sakura laughed again before waving her hand. "Fine, fine. Cut everyone a piece. I might as well bring Hinata one-" But before she had finished her sentence Naruto had run off to find a kitchen knife and plates. In no time at all he appeared again with a knife in one hand and a large stack of plates in the other.

Eagerly he cut the cake into slices before snatching up the first slice and devouring it while the others savored it. "This cake…I've never tasted anything so amazing in my life…" Sakura commented as she took another bite. _'If I was back at the flower shop I'd probably be eating like Naruto…these cooks all must be really talented if Lee and Chouji are just apprentices.' _

"It takes a lot of work and effort. Cooking is just like art or music-even medicine; if you really put your heart and soul into your work, you will have extraordinary results." Lee explained happily.

Naruto, who was already finishing his third slice, added an enthusiastic nod. But as he reached for a fourth Sakura smacked his hand away. "Naruto, slow down; you're going to give yourself indigestion." But when she saw his hurt look she added, "Help me give Shikamaru, Hinata, Yoroichi and Fuuyuki their slices. And if you're still hungry you can eat whatever other slices. Alright?"

Like a small child, Naruto's face lit up as he disappeared and came back moments later with a tiny cart with tea and utensils, loaded on several slices of the delicious cake onto it and rushed out the door, dragging Sakura with him.

"That Sakura girl, she's something special, isn't she?" Chouji asked Lee who was looking in the direction Naruto and Sakura left in and nodded. "Aah. Everyone seems so cheerful with her presence."

Then he smirked. "Does that go for ALL of us or just you, Lee?" this made the bushy-browed man blush and look away. "All of us of course…" and hurried off to find something to do.

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Sasuke gave a sigh of relief when he stamped the very last document in his last huge stack of papers. _'Now I can find Sakura.' _He told himself before hurrying out of his office. After all, he hadn't been out of his office all day, and the anxiety to see Sakura had built in the pit of his stomach.

But halfway down the hall he ran into Kaito. "I see you're done with your paperwork, Sas-"

"Where's Sakura?" he interjected immediately. With a smile he held up a hand. "Calm yourself, Sasuke. She's safe. But it appears the Council summoned her not long ago."

The raven-haired boy stared at his caretaker, silently demanding an elaboration. Kaito gave the young man a pleased grin. "I'm pleased to say that she has gained the approval of Yozu-sama himself."

Sasuke gawked at him. "Yozu??" Not even Sasuke, who had lived with the council all his life, had fully gained the highest elder of the Council's approval. But then he smirked inwardly. '_Looks like she's impacting Uchiha Castle more than I thought…'_

"By the look in your eyes I see that you're just as amused?" Kaito told him, still smiling. Sasuke nodded. "Where is she now?"

"Some of the guards downstairs reported that she was on her way to the infirmary with Naruto and a cart filled with cake and tea…"but he didn't seem to finish as he watched the lord mumble a thanks before spinning around and hurrying down the stairs to find the pink-haired girl.

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When Sasuke made it down to the infirmary he watched Sakura and Naruto gesturing two of the guards to take a slice of cake.

"How nice of you, Sakura-san!" Yoroichi said happily as he snatched a piece of the cake and a fork from the tray when Naruto and Sakura arrived at the infirmary and explained to the guards why the cake was made. Hungrily Yoroichi ate it. Since he hadn't eaten all day, he was grateful for the pink-haired woman's consideration. "Thank you…Sakura-san." Fuuyuki said more politely while he also took a piece from the cart.

"Don't mention it; I just thought you guys deserved to try the cake before it was gone." Sakura told him as she handed Hinata a piece. As she took a small bite her eyes widened with joy and ate it quickly. It seemed to be the sweetest piece of cake she had ever eaten. Even Shikamaru took it without complaint.

But the attention was turned to Sasuke when they noticed him standing in the doorway. Sakura's face brightened as she turned to look at him. "Oh, Sasuke I haven't seen you all day! You must be exhausted. Have some cake. Lee and Chouji spent all day making it." Sakura encouraged him, holding a plate.

Sasuke stepped back. "I don't eat sweets." He told her but watched the men surround him. "Come on Uchiha-sama! Sakura-san is personally handing you a slice. It's delicious- at least take a bite of it!" Yoroichi added with a grin. The cake had put him in a bubbly mood.

"Yeah Sasuke-teme don't be such a party crasher and take a bite of it! It's really good! I've had 3 slices already."

"It IS really good." Shikamaru agreed as he held up his place. Silently Hinata nodded enthusiastically, also agreeing. Sakura gestured him to take a bite again. "Just one bite?"

Sasuke hesitated as his obsidian eyes met her jade ones. _'Why is it so hard…to deny this girl?' _he thought as he took the plate from her hands and took a small bite of the cake. He seemed to go stiff as his face held a strange expression.

"Well?" Naruto asked looking puzzled. Sasuke mumbled as he stared at the tiny slice of cake in his hands.

"Do you like it or not, Sasuke?" Sakura asked anxiously. He looked at her as his mouth curled into what seemed to be a small smile. "Aah."

Everyone in the room seemed to light up as they returned Sasuke's smile. Everyone except Sakura knew that it had been years since Sasuke had eaten anything sweet let alone look at it.

Slowly he ate the piece, scrunching up his face as if to determine mentally if he liked sweets after all. When everyone was done Naruto took the cart back to the kitchen and Shikamaru returned to studying the medical records while Hinata dozed off leaving Sasuke and Sakura to wander around the castle.

"I hear you gained Yozu's respect today." Sasuke told her as they left the infirmary. Sakura smiled to herself. "I guess I did. He said I amused him and that he seconds my decision to take responsibility for Hinata's actions while she stays here."

"Are you sure about that?" Sasuke asked her doubtfully. Hinata was dangerous after all and had already attacked her once. She gave him a small smile and nodded. "I do. She's my patient, and I know that she could attack someone innocent at any given moment, but I have faith in her." Then he watched her smile widen. "Besides, me and Kiba helped her remember one of her rapist's facial features; his eyes."

'_So that's why she's so confident…'_"What about them?" he asked amusingly. Sakura's eyes seemed to gleam as she spoke, "I'm not sure, but I think they have something to do with the color because when she attacked me it wasn't an attempt to kill me since mine are green. She also attacked Naruto, but she stopped when she saw that his were blue."

"That doesn't narrow much down. Blue and green colored eyes aren't common in Konoha." Sasuke told her questionably as he came to a stop. Sakura stopped in front of him. "I know. But I plan to find out more. She told me herself, Sasuke. Hinata isn't illiterate, she can write what she remembers, and as long as we work with her patiently she won't snap like has recently." She paused to move a little closer to him and look at him with a pleading look. "Just trust me."

The raven-haired man looked at the cotton-candy haired beauty in front of him before turning away and running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Shikamaru was right; you ARE troublesome."

This made her laugh. She could tell that Sasuke was concerned with the elder's watching over her now. "I'll be careful. Besides, Naruto told me that since I have Yozu-san's approval he won't be so quick to let the others get on my case for everything."

"Don't take him lightly. Now that you have his attention he'll have you closely watched." He paused to look at her seriously. "And don't ever break his trust." Sasuke warned. This made Sakura uneasy. "What happens if I do end up breaking his trust?"

Sasuke looked around before whispering closely. "Life won't ever be the same."

The two decided to walk again before she asked. "How do you know this?" Sakura watched him look away. "Itachi did it and his life fell into turmoil." He replied. Sakura imagined the elder Uchiha, slaughtering his grandfather and father before vanishing, banishing himself and automatically making him a wanted man.

As she opened her mouth to apologize Sasuke added, "He's also my great uncle."

Sakura, who still had her mouth open, let it drop in shock. "You mean…Yozu is an Uchiha? Is that why the elders want you to hand over the power to them?"

Sasuke nodded. "I don't abide by his cold methods. That's one of the reasons why they get on my case for everything." This made her frown. "One of the reasons?" she repeated.

"My age, refusing to marry the Water Country's hime, and my brother keeping me alive are other reasons." He paused to elaborate. "My uncle is part of the branch family. Since I'm still alive, the royal family is still in power."

Sakura scrunched up her face. "So he's getting revenge by busting you for every little thing? It isn't right- they should be with your decisions because you're lord not taking their personal matters out on you by taking your rule into question."

"I know that." He replied softly as they started to turn a corner. "But until my 18th birthday I have to follow their rules-"But Sakura cut him off as she stopped him from turning the corner. "But that isn't fair and you know it. You're lord regardless of age. I'm gonna talk to them about it-"

"No." he told her flatly which made her stare at him, demanding an answer. "It'd be pointless. All they can do is call me irresponsible and call my authority into question. It's only an attempt to make me lose heart, and that isn't possible." He gave her a failed attempt to smile. "They can't get rid of me unless I'm assassinated or willingly give up the throne. Trust me."

_Take heed around the one they call Saito, for me and many others believe that he is the one that will attempt to betray Uchiha-sama. _Once again Yoroichi's words played back into Sakura's head. "But what if someone DOES attempt to assassinate you?" she asked nervously. Just the thought of him lying in a pool of blood made her queasy.

This made him snort as he pulled her hand aside. "No one in this castle has the guts." But he paused to look at her with a mysterious glow in his eyes. "But if I find someone plotting against me I'll kill them myself."

That's when Sakura saw it. As he spoke Sasuke's eyes seemed to flash a bloody crimson, just as Naruto had said. _Once you see an Uchiha's rage, it's the last thing you'd ever wanna see again. _She shuddered as she imagined blood red eyes staring at her murderously. Luckily, he didn't see it as he continued walking.

'_I just hope you're right, Sasuke.' _Sakura thought to herself as she ran to catch up with him.

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"Ne, Sasuke?" She asked hesitantly as the two slowly walked up to the third floor. He turned to look at her; eyes saying all they had to.

"Why is Shikamaru the way he is?"

Sasuke thought about this and decided not to give any details as he replied. "What do you mean?"

"He thinks men are so much higher, and that women are just 'troublesome'; that we should be 'seen and not heard'." Sakura explained making him look at her. "Would you think differently living here?" Sasuke asked and it made her think. He was right. Living in Uchiha Castle without any women didn't give him the chance to see how wrong his judgment was, and seeing women lined up at their door in hopes of marrying or even seeing the Lord must have gradually aggravated him.

She paused to give a frustrated grumble. "I just hate how the men like him in this castle are so sexist and stereotypical. Sure, they haven't lived with women in awhile, but that doesn't mean judge us…"

"Sound familiar?" He told her when they reached her room and started to walk away.

'_That was a little cold…but maybe he's right…' _Sakura thought as she away from Sasuke's retreating figure to open her door. But as she did this a hand closed the door gently, startling her.

Without turning around, she realized it was only Sasuke who hadn't walked away after all…but her heart couldn't stop racing as he leaned closer to her ear, almost meeting it with his lips. "Tonight, meet me on the fourth floor- fifth door on the left." And this time he walked away for good.

Quickly Sakura ran into her room and slammed the door. As she leaned on the door she rested her head against it and lifted a thin hand up to her racing heart whilehis words seem to play back like a broken record as she remembered the feel of his breath against her ear.

Had that really been Sasuke, speaking so soft and close to her?

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By the time Sakura had gotten back to her room and was cooled off the sun had already set and the stars had painted the sky.

_Tonight, meet me meet on the fourth floor-fifth door on the left._

'_It's about time…' _Sakura told herself thoughtfully before subconsciously looking at herself in the mirror and hurrying out of the room.

As she walked down the hall to ascend up the stairs to the fourth floor, she became lost in her thoughts. '_You're anxious aren't you, Sakura?'_

'_I'm not anxious…I'm eager. It's been so long since I've star-watched'. _She told her inner self who scoffed at her. _You're eager to spend some alone time with Sasuke. Time that isn't likely to be interrupted. _

She blushed at the thought of her and Sasuke watching the stars. It almost seemed too good to be true.

When she reached the top of the stars she found that the hallway was dark.' _I wonder where everyone is?' _

She counted the rooms on the left side as her heart started to race. _'One…two…three…four…' _ Sakura stopped when she came to the fifth door. _'Here we go…' _she told herself before opening the door slowly.

Sakura felt her heart beat even faster when she found Sasuke leaning against the window pane. An unreadable expression painted his face as he looked up at the moonless sky. When he didn't notice her presence she shut the door softly, but loud enough to hear the slam of the wood.

When Sasuke turned to look at her he seemed to be having a mysterious air about him as he was illuminated by the moonlight. "Did you wait long?" Sakura asked as she walked over to him.

He shook his head. "Come on-"but when she didn't budge he gave a small smile. "We aren't using the window." Sasuke told her reassuringly as relief was spread across her face. Slowly, he moved over the right wall and felt around it.

'_Another secret passage?' _Sakura thought excitedly. But to her disappointment he flipped a wall panel revealing a switch and turned to see a white rope drop from the ceiling. With a strong pull of his arm Sasuke pulled down a staircase and lead her up it.

To her surprise she found it lead to another floor. "So there is a fifth floor…" Sakura said, more to herself than him. Sasuke looked at her "What made you think there wasn't?"

"Well Naruto said-"

He snorted. This made Sakura realize that Naruto had known all along that there was another floor. But why hadn't he been straightforward and told her?

"Don't take it personally. He wanted you to find out for yourself." Sasuke explained making her calm down. As he led her down another passageway he opened a door to his right and revealed another staircase.

When he turned to look at her he couldn't help but smirk as she still seemed surprised. "How many floors are there?" Sakura asked. At first he didn't answer. Then he shrugged. "Who knows?"

Silently the two followed the candle-lit hallway to the very end door. "Does this lead to another floor?" Sakura asked.

"Somewhat. This'll take us up to the roof." Sasuke replied. But before opening it he paused to warn, "But don't move until I do."

When she nodded Sasuke opened the door. It seemed like an ordinary dark room with a single window, just like the one that had lead them to the fifth floor. _'I wonder what traps and secrets this room holds.' _Sakura thought nervously as he moved slowly, tapping the floor twice before each step.

"Grab my hand." Sasuke commanded. Quickly, she did as she was told and followed him. "Sasuke, what happens if you take a wrong step?" she asked as she followed him, doing just as he did; tapping twice on every other floor panel.

But when he opened his mouth to reply he noticed that Sakura's foot had tapped the last panel twice and swiftly shoved her against the left wall, a little more roughly than he should have.

The two watched in horror as part of the middle flooring deteriorated; as if it were sand.

"That." Sasuke replied as Sakura continued to stare at what had previously been whole flooring. "Is…this entire room…like this?" she asked when he pulled himself off her and grabbed her wrist more cautiously.

"I haven't figured that out yet." Then he came to a complete stop, scanning the flooring carefully.

"Sakura. Move two tiles to your right, and then leap to the window." He told her in a hushed whisper. "Make sure you step on one of the five tiles in front of it."

"…What happens if I miss?" Sakura asked nervously. Sasuke opened his mouth to reply but decided not to. "Never mind, just go."

Cautiously, Sakura did as she said and walked to the right tile. As she leaped to the window subconsciously she looked up and realized there was a pattern on the ceiling. "Sasuke…look at the ceiling…I think it tells you how to get to the window safely."

Sasuke studied the ceiling and realized she was right. Slowly he moved over to the right and walked on every other tile before reached in the window. Though he didn't say anything, he looked at her with a strange gleam in his eyes as he opened the window and stepped onto the roof.

Sakura grabbed his hand as he led her up to the top of the roof. "Why would you go through all this trouble to reach the roof?" Sakura asked him wildly as she glanced down at the distance from the ground and where they were climbing.

"This is why" Sasuke responded when they reached the roof Sakura sat down and looked up before gasping at how close she seemed to the stars. "It's beautiful…" she replied. "It feels like I can almost touch them…"

"It gets better." Sasuke replied. But as he spoke tons of bright lights darted across the sky making Sakura stare in awe. "This…is amazing…" she whispered under her breath quietly. Though Sasuke didn't speak he was just in as much awe as she was.

"When I was little Ino and her family stood on her roof and watched a comet shoot across the sky…but I've never seen something so beautiful in my life…" Sakura murmured quietly.

The two fell silent as they gazed up at the stars until she shivered.

"Cold?" Sasuke asked scooting closer to her. The tenderness in his voice threw her of balance. Though she had yet to hear him angry with her, around anyone else, the raven-haired man seemed to become gentle.

Sakura shook her head. "Just a little…" she replied as the two looked back up at the sky. "Seeing this…makes me want to stay up here forever…"

"In July, Uchiha Castle holds its annual fireworks festival." Sasuke told her; as if silently asking if she would come. This made her flash a toothy smile. "And you want me to make an appearance?"

"It's five months away, around the time I'll turn 18." Sasuke replied. _'I'll take that as a yes.' _Sakura thought as she continued to wear her toothy smile. "That means my birthday is in a month or so…the 28th of March."

"Are you spending it here?" He asked more quickly than he should have intended. But he was surprised when she shrugged. "Who knows? If Hinata still isn't well I'll spend it at your castle."

"And if she's healthy?" Sasuke asked. Though he knew the answer to this his mind didn't seem to want to think of it. She grew quiet before answering. "If things go as planned…I'll probably be spending it with Tsunade-sama-outside of Konoha; maybe even out of the fire country altogether."

The two grew quiet as thousands of things were racing through Sasuke's head and heart. _She has to leave. You were only here to help her after all. _

'_Maybe she'll be able to stay after all?'_

'_And why would she give up her life goal to find her father? Because you want her to stay? Get real. She's naïve, not stupid.'_

"But that's only if Hinata's healthy and if I prove to Tsunade-sama that I'm worthy to be her subordinate." Sakura added. "It probably isn't possible…the time it takes for people suffering from the effects of traumatic experiences to recover take months- even years…"

Though he had only known the pink-haired girl sitting next to him for a short while, but at times alone with her such as now, it felt as though he had known her a lifetime; maybe even longer.

"Would you come back?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask. This made Sakura turn to look at him, a strange gleam in her eyes made it impossible for him to turn away as a playful smile curled on her lips. "Would you miss me if I left?"

He was at a loss for words. Sakura hid a hurt expression before she looked back at the now clear and starry sky. "It's alright if you don't answer. I mean, how can you miss someone you've only just met? This isn't-"but her voice trailed off when the raven-haired man whispered, "Don't ever assume with me."

This made her stare back at him with rosy cheeks. So he would miss her after all. "But…why?" Sakura asked. How could you miss someone you've met not long ago? This wasn't a tragic, romantic love story about two people falling in love at first sight like in Romeo and Juliet, right?

"Time doesn't matter. Never in my entire life…have I met someone like you." Sasuke replied. By the look on his face she knew that it had been hard for him reply. Though it was only a few sentences, Sakura knew that he had meant what he said, and that it was more than a long, drawn out explanation could've been.

Sasuke didn't say anymore, but as he gazed into her eyes the obsidian pools seemed to scream so much more. _Would you miss me? _They seemed to ask which couldn't help but make her smile and look back up at the sky.

"I used to despise men with all that I had…because of what my father did to my mother. And because of that I grew up with the notion that they were all the same, and if I let myself get close to one…the same would happen to me." She paused to look at him. "But…being at Uchiha Castle and living with all these men who've have it much worse than I have…and are actually amazing people...I realized that we aren't too much different."

Sasuke continued to let her speak as Sakura went on. "We all make mistakes, and all of us have lost someone important to us it seems…and not all men are slimy, vile things that are incapable of having compassion for others."

He couldn't help but snort as he looked at her. "Is that what you thought of me?"

She shrugged but didn't meet his eyes. "Somewhat. I thought you were a greedy, insensitive, malevolent man…but I know I was wrong." Then she turned to look at him. "And what about you? We all know about your history of being cold to women."

"We've been through this." He told her. But she wasn't going to give up. "Then run it by me again. We have plenty of time."

Sasuke fell silent before replying. "They were dreamless."

"That doesn't make their good attributes invisible or make them bad people."

"I never said that." He protested defensively. "None seemed to have a purpose or goal…" and subconsciously his eyes fell upon Sakura who did the same. "All I saw was lust."

She met his eyes again. "You want someone who sees you as a person, ignoring that you have looks, power, and money?"

"Aah-"

"Do you honestly think you women will ignore those attributes? It's a shallow world, Sasuke and you're the lord of KONOHA. You're not a regular person-you can't ignore that." Sakura demanded, startling him as she stood up and towered over him

"Is it wrong of me to want that?" Sasuke asked also standing up. The look in his eyes intimidated her. "No, but who in this world will you find that doesn't know who you are, Sasuke? You're asking the impossible-"

"You didn't, did you?" He argued as stepped closer to her.

"Sasuke you're-"but her voice trailed off as she felt herself wobble; her foot had stepped out of line on the narrow roof top and started to fall backwards. But just was she started to fall Sasuke grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to his body.

"Be careful." He commanded her as he could feel the fast thumping of her heart. Sakura held his arms tightly; fearing that she would fall again.

When he started to pull away from her, his obsidian eyes met her jade ones as Sasuke felt her wrap her arms fearfully around his body. "Don't let go!" She told him in an almost pleading tone.

His eyes fell to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "I don't plan to." He replied as he grabbed hold of either sides of her face and pressed his lips onto hers.

At first, her breath was taken from her; completely in shock by his action. Until she realized that they had denied fate and obligingly accepted his kiss.

His hands slid into her hair as the two became lost in their kiss that could've been seconds, minutes. Maybe even hours; proving that to the two, just like Sasuke had said, time didn't matter.

Finally, the two broke away when the need to breathe was demanding, screaming; a painful ache they could ignore no longer. But the two only stayed apart long enough to catch their breath before his lips crashed onto hers once more.

Sakura seemed to drive him wild with the simplicity or her actions; a flick of her tongue, a nibble here and there on his lips and the soft caressing of her hands on her arms, chest, neck, and face as he struggled to keep his composure. _'Can women really do this to you?' _he thought, realizing that Sakura was like a drug; slowly coaxing him into tasting her again. Until finally the need became too much, and he gave in.

This time, the two broke the kiss breathing heavily. Their worlds were spinning out of control, and neither knew if it was due to lack of air or the effervescent sensation the two felt when the two realized where they were and what they had been doing.

Sasuke rested his forehead on hers as silence wavered over them. Both were at a loss of words, but neither dared to draw away from one another. When their eyes met the two laughed with giddiness, but were at a loss of words.

Then she spoke. "We…should…head back."

"Aah." He replied. But neither seemed to want to as he helped her climb down through a different window leading to a room that was safer; no trap doors, no fake flooring, just an empty room. 

'_Looks like this entire floor is made up of secret doors and traps...' _She realized when the two exited the room Sakura realized the door had disappeared.

The two successfully snuck back down to the third floor, avoiding any guards by hiding in the shadows. Only this time when Sakura was pushed against the wall it wasn't so awkward.

When they reached her room she leaned against the door, not wanting to leave just yet. "Thank you, for taking me up there. Though I haven't gotten a tour of the castle…" she paused to smile and lean up to whisper in his ear. "Tonight was sort of…like your compensation for it."

Without saying goodnight and leaving him with a mischievous smile she turned to open her door and walk in. But when Sakura turned to give him one last look he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him before capturing her lips, smirking, and walking away; leaving her heart pounding and strangely lightheaded.

'_Still think you haven't fallen for him?' _Her inner thoughts asked as she climbed into her bed with a smile refusing to leave. But she didn't respond to her teasing as she thought to herself. _'I think...I'm liking my stay here more and more everyday…with Sasuke's help.'_

These were her final thoughts before the satisfied pink-haired woman drifted off into a deep sleep; the only thing on her mind was a certain raven-haired man and the time they had spent together, thinking that things could only get better from here.

But where there sweeter, heartfelt moments to come, the cold and bitter ones were coming as well.

And sooner than any of them could imagine.

**TBC **


	27. Remember Your Promise

**Hey guys sorry this is so late…But I've been stuck trying to end this right without making it too long or too short…**

**I'm glad that I've been getting so many new readers lately. It's really encouraging. Also, I read two stories; one from the M+ section- ****-Forgive Me -****and the other from T- Go Ahead, Kill Me (great story!!). It gave me a lot of pointers of what to do/not to do :).**

**Special thanks to:**

**Daughter of Unending Darkness**

**PASSION244**

**sasusaku779**

**xImCharmedx**

**blue-silver light (new reader!)**

**uchiha helena-hime (new reader!)**

**ladyP1122**

**lacusclien4**

**one2bLoved**

**fleetingthought**

**minniemousemom**

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**Kainat (new reader!)**

**Namine-sama**

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**i love hershey**

**Utsuro**

**number one fan!!**

**Yami Uchiha (new reader!)**

**Kakashi500**

**xXSasukxSakuXx**

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**AnbuShadowFang**

**I'll try to have another chapter up for you guys by Friday or Saturday :).**

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The next morning Sakura was woken up by a knock at her door. With a soft groan the pink-haired woman rolled out of bed and slid open her door to find a guard.

"Good morning Haruno-san. Uchiha-sama summons you." He told her with a small bow. Her heartbeat thumped happily at the mention of his name but decided not to show it.

"In his office?" Sakura asked, wondering what he could want this early in the morning. But to her bewilderment the guard shook his head.

"No, his bedroom."

But when the guard noticed her alarmed expression he added, "Would you like me to tell him you were unable to make it?" everyone who had lived with Uchiha Sasuke knew that one a few have entered his room. And no woman besides Mikoto had entered either.

'_This woman must be very important to Uchiha-sama…or…perhaps he wants to experiment and experience what ordinary boys do at his age with a young pretty girl living with him?'_

"Wha-no, no of course not…I- just don't know where it is…and I just woke up." Sakura told him quickly. "I'll be happy to escort you to his room…if you wish, Haruno-san." He offered as she stifled a yawn.

"Alright. Can you wait outside for a few minutes while I get dressed?" Sakura told him. "If that is what Haruno-san wishes."

When Sakura closed the door she let out a small breath before walking over to the armoire and brushing her hair slowly, looking back at her reflection._ 'What could he want with me in his bedroom…? Don't tell me he's thinking about doing __**that**__!!'_

'_Who knows? Maybe he wants to take your relationship to a __**new level**__.'_

She watched her emerald eyes widened at this thought. _'What! B-But we just met…this isn't another Romeo and Juliet story!!_

But a familiar voice drove out her nagging thoughts with a queasy feeling. '_If you fall for Sasuke-kun I'll never forgive you, forehead girl!!'_

As she remembered this an immense feeling of guilt waved over her as she dropped her hair brush and felt her hand cover her mouth in shock. _'Kami…I forgot about my promise to Ino!! '_

'_You shouldn't care about what Ino thinks!! Have you ever seen her with a real boyfriend?'_

Sakura thought about this. Growing up, while she stayed home Ino snuck out with a group of older boys, almost never being the same boy twice. She was always provocative and wild…unlike Sakura who was the opposite. Often she wondered how she was friends with a girl so completely opposite of herself. _'Well no…'_

'_Exactly!! She's just a little fan girl who loves to mess around…she's only infatuated with a boy who will never give her the time of day. Sasuke had said that every woman who looked at him lustfully didn't have any ambitions or aspirations than getting in his pants or taking his money. And just when he thought that all the women in this city were hopeless he met you.'_

It was true, Sasuke had said that he wanted to find someone who didn't look at him and just see and attractive body or someone with money and power but someone who looked at him and saw a real person.

And that person happened to be Sakura.

'_It was completely by accident- I mean if I knew that the person I met in Konoha a few days ago was Uchiha Sasuke I would have never tried to help him. Back then-'_

'_Back then.' _Inner Sakura repeated. _'Did you ever get the feeling that maybe you were FATED to meet the real Sasuke? Maybe you were destined to cross paths with him-to save him.'_

'_Save him? How can I save him if I can barely save myself?' _Sakura asked wildly as she got up and threw off her kimono, walked over to her wardrobe and picked out a thin inner white kimono while the outer layer was baby blue with red flowers falling down the side.

'_You know that he's lost more in one period of time than you have your entire life. With you here Sasuke found a gap in his emptiness just as you have. He can heal you while you heal him!'_

Carefully she tied a white sash around her waist when a soft knock was heard outside the door; bringing her out of the argument with her thoughts. With a last look in the mirror Sakura hurried over to the door and allowed the guard to escort her up to Sasuke's room.

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"Uchiha-sama," the guard called outside the Uchiha heir's door. "Thank you." Sakura told him as he humbly bowed and walked away.

"Come in." Sasuke called without much emotion from within his room. Nervously, she walked in to be amazed.

Inside was intricately designed and seemed, without a doubt belonging to an Uchiha as the clan symbol was all around the room. In the corner of the room was a large oak dresser while next to it was a canopied bed with dark drapes holding the clan's fans.

Across from the room, similar to Sakura's, held a large window; giving the view of the city below only this window seemed to be almost as big as the wall itself. To the left was a door and miscellaneous things such as a bookcase ect and on the floor was a large carpet holding the Uchiha fan. The names of clan members were embroidered around the large fan.

The room was extremely big; definitely fit for a lord, but it seemed plain, as if all the space were going to waste.

But in the middle of the floor held a low glass table holding an extraordinary breakfast for two; two tea cups set on coasters and foods from rice to salad to small deserts were placed on the long table. On both sides of the table were navy-colored placemats. Sasuke was sitting on one of them and gestured her to sit across from him.

Sakura then relaxed. _'He only wanted to have breakfast with me.' _She thought with relief as she walked over to the luxurious banquet. "It looks delicious." She exclaimed as she eyed everything hungrily.

"From Gai." Sasuke explained as he met her jade orbs and she could have sworn that there was an unexplainable gleam in his eyes. "How about that tour?"

Her mouth curled into a taunting smile. "If you're actually free today."

He smirked at her behind his cup. "I've been busy."

"You mean you haven't had time to fit me into your schedule." Sakura added, the smile still remaining. She seemed to be getting amusement at teasing him and by doing this she was brining out the real Sasuke under his stoic expression and cool attitude

"Is that what you think?" he asked meeting her eyes.

"You don't have to fit me into your schedule. I can find something to do. Shikamaru will probably need me later anyway-"Sakura explained, eyeing her reflection in her tea cup.

"It's not that." Sasuke interjected. "I want to."

This made her blush. Being alone with him was bittersweet. He seemed to become a completely gentle person in her presence, and it made her feel warm. And with every action he did seemed to make it harder and harder for Sakura to keep herself from falling harder.

Sasuke took a sip of his tea before explaining. "For once, I think I'm free." _And I want to spend it with you. _His eyes seemed to finish.

She couldn't help but smile at this. Behind the offer to show her around the castle was the intention of spending time with her. "I don't know. I'll try and fit YOU into my schedule."

This made him snort as she laughed lightly. "I'd love for you to show me around. I'll even be of some help if the elders try to make you busy with work."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Sasuke asked as the two began to eat. He watched her eyes flash with a certain determination he had only seen in his own eyes. "I'll just tell them that you're…preoccupied today."

This made Sasuke stifle a laugh. "Not likely, but we'll see."

When Sakura was done she stood up and looked around the room. "Your room is so big-but you don't seem to have a lot of stuff like a lord should have, Sasuke."

"I'm not into material possessions." He replied as he watched her walk around the room and over to the window. "You should treat yourself like one; you deserve it after all."

Sasuke didn't reply as she added "I want to re-decorate your room one day."

"I'll never understand women." Sasuke scoffed making her giggle. "Maybe we weren't created to be understood." Then she turned to look up into his eyes. "Just accepted."

"Are you speaking for yourself?" Sasuke whispered in her ear as he appeared behind her. His warm breath made her heart beat faster. Sakura thought about this as she looked back to the days in Konoha as a young child. As she walked down the streets she could hear the people murmur and whisper in detest.

"_Isn't that that whore's daughter?"_

"_Aah it is. Such a strange looking child…pink hair and green eyes…"_

"_Maybe she's a demon! A demon child!"_

"_And where's her father? Is he even around anymore?"_

"_Rarely. He's gone for months at a time. What a broken family. Sachiko had so much potential and she threw it all away for that wretched man…"_

"_Nothing shall come from that child. I don't understand why the Yamanaka's would take in such trash…"_

_It will be their downfall."_

"…No matter what I do I'll never be accepted." She replied bitterly. "To Konoha I'm the daughter of a whore and a wretch; born illegitimately."

Sasuke shifted her around so he could look down into her pain filled eyes. "Don't talk like that. Agreeing on their assumption of you won't do you any good." He paused to touch her face gently. "Prove them wrong."

'_How hard are you going to allow yourself to fall before you want out, Sakura?' _Her mind demanded as Sakura slowly snaked her arms around his neck and lifted her head up to plastered her lips onto his. _'I don't know.' _

'_You promised Ino, your best friend. This is wrong.' _Her mind reminded her as a wave of guilt and confusion fell over her. _'But…why??' _her heart argued back. _'If I just explain my feelings to her-'_

'_You were scorned and Sasuke gave you compassion while. You're infatuated.'_ Her mind told her when Sasuke wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her against his body, adding more pressure to the kiss. _'And you're going to jeopardize your friendship with Ino over infatuation? You're going to prove to the entire village that you really are nothing but a whore's daughter.'_

The raven-haired boy's mouth trailed down her jaw as his mind nagged at him to stop. _'This is wrong.'_

When he heard her yelp softly when he nibbled gently on her neck and tug playfully at his hair Sasuke answered back. _'Then why doesn't it feel so?' _

'_You were alone and she gave you comfort. You finally found someone that sees you as a normal person, but you know that you aren't meant to be with this woman- and even though you know this you're ignoring it.'_

Deep down he knew that he was denying all logic, and that the elders wouldn't approve of him having feelings for a woman not out of a royal family, but he didn't care. _'I won't live under their rules.' _He thought when he lifted her up and pressed her against the window.

But in the heat of the moment neither heard the soft knocking at his door until they heard the door start to slide open making the startled couple break away from each other.

"Uchiha-sama..." called an attractive redheaded man, around the same age as Sasuke and Sakura, dressed in scarlet robes. But his voice trailed off when he noticed them, Sakura's pink cheeks and their labored breath; realizing that he had interrupted something between the two. "Err…Haruno-san…sorry to- disturb you two, but Shikamaru needs you in the infirmary. I'm here to escort you."

"R-Right. Give me a moment, please." Sakura stammered before they watched the man shut the door again. When the man was gone the two met each other's eyes only to look away again.

"Sakura." Sasuke told her softly as he grabbed her wrist when she turned to walk away from him. "Don't tell anybody about…this."

'_You mean us.' _Her eyes seemed to say when Sakura turned around to meet his eyes. But when he tried to explain himself she yanked her wrist away from his grasp. "I better get going." and walked away from him.

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When Sakura walked out of the door she found the man waiting patiently for her. "I- apologize for walking in on you two…I had no idea-"

But she forced a smile at him and shook her head. "You didn't walk in on anything; you got it all wrong. We were arguing, nothing more."

"You mean you two weren't-?"

_Don't tell anybody about…this._ Indignantly Sakura remembered his reluctance to announce his feelings for her and shook her head once more. "Of course not. You know his history towards women."

The man thought about this. "He has been relatively cold towards women…but I assumed…since you were in his quarters…"

Sakura could almost feel her back press against the cold window pane as Sasuke pressed against her, trying to destroy what space was left between them when she reminisced what happened between them. Though it made her heart beat faster it also made it ache with hurt. Her mind was right, infatuation wasn't worth losing her friendship with Ino.

"Don't be silly. I'm only here to become a doctor, not to say "I do"." Sakura replied quietly.

The two quietly walked down the stairs to the second floor before Sakura asked, "You aren't dressed in armor and you don't seem to be as old as the others so you aren't a guard are you?"

"You guessed correctly, Haruno-san. I don't have a specific occupation here." The redheaded man replied politely.

"Then Sasuke took you in like Naruto and the others?" The cotton-candy haired woman asked. He smiled shyly. "Aah, he did. Though he won't show it Uchiha-sama isn't as unsympathetic as he appears."

'_Of course he's not…' _Sakura thought, knowing firsthand that he was a different person when he was alone with her. But why couldn't he act the same around everyone? "He has a quiet kind of consideration, but it's definitely there if he let me stay here. I'm the first woman besides his mother to live with him."

"I owe Uchiha-sama my life for letting me stay here. If it wasn't for him…I'm not sure where I would be right now." Sakura noticed that as he talked the man hadn't looked at her once. "For I don't seem to be able to recall my past at all-"

"You mean you have amnesia?!" Sakura asked unable to keep her composure.

The crimson-haired man shook his head. "I do remember sand…and finding myself on the ground…somewhere dark. A man with long dark hair was walking away from me, and he called me useless. Then a sharp pain ran threw my skull and I woke up here in the infirmary."

"Have you tried to get it back at all?"

It's too painful to try, and I've decided that perhaps it's best if I didn't remember."

"But don't you want to know why you lost your memory or who you were before coming here?" she asked, shocked by his acceptance. "I believe that I was made to forget what type of person I was. If I was a terrible person, it's better if I don't remember." The man replied.

"You shouldn't think that way." Sakura argued as the descended down to the first and walked down one of the long hallways. "Just because you're afraid of what type of person you were before doesn't mean it should be kept in the past like a skeleton in your closet. If you were bad than as punishment you should be made to remember, and if you were good you should remember the people who looked up to you."

She noted that the man still didn't look up to meet her jade orbs as he became unspoken as Sakura went on. "My past has made me stronger. In Konoha I was detested, called a demon child, trash, or a 'whore's daughter' for being an illegitimate child. If I become a doctor I'll prove that I 'm not worthless. It'll also give me a chance to find my father who doomed my family."

Though he didn't look up to meet her eyes he turned his head to look at her feet. "I can help you remember who you were."

"How so?" asked the man bleakly. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Right now I'm helping Hyuuga Hinata recall the night she was possibly raped. Though we're working slowly we're getting her to identify the man that did it."

The two stopped outside the infirmary as he thought about this. "Do you honestly think you could help me…?"

Her smile widened. "You have amnesia, you past isn't forever lost. Anything is possible if you just have faith." Then she paused when she realized he hadn't told her his name. "I never got your name."

"Luckily the only thing I remember about myself is my name. It's Gaara."

'_Gaara…why does that name sound so familiar?' _Sakura thought as a strange feeling waved over her. But she forced a smile. "Gaara. That's a nice name."

This time he looked up to meet her eyes and felt his cheeks turn bright red. During his time staying in the Uchiha castle he had never met such a uniquely beautiful girl with jade orbs filled with great determination

"Arigato…Haruno-san. I'm afraid I have a few things to take care of. " Gaara replied as he bowed deeply to her. Before he walked away she touched his shoulder lightly. "I look forward to helping you… and you don't have to be so humble towards me." And she left him with that. But just as she approached the door to the infirmary he called to her. "Haruno-sa…Miss Sakura…you're going to become a great doctor." He told her before bowing lightly he hurried off.

Sakura smiled as she watched his retreating figure. '_Gaara…eh?' _She thought, suddenly becoming determined to help her newest patient as she walked into the infirmary. _'This just keeps getting more interesting…'_

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When Sakura walked into the infirmary she was greeted by Shikamaru who was searching for something in a large medicine cabinet. "You're late." He told her without looking up from his work.

Calmly, she walked over to him. "I was in the middle of something. What do you need?" Sakura asked. "I need a background check done on Hinata and her family history. Find Kaito if you need assistance."

"But why?" Sakura asked concerned but was relieved when he shook his head. "Use your brain. What reason would I have to want you to research her background?"

Sakura fell silent as he let out a sigh. "You know that her clan isn't ordinary; it's famous for a reason." He paused to close the cabinet as he took out two small bottle of medication. "You know from experience that when her eyes become white and strained it's not normal. I need to know if it's a bloodline trait or something only the heiress has…and what it is."

"But even if you figure out this or not what good will it do?"

He let out an aggravated sigh before turning to look at her. "Use your common sense! If we figure out her family history perhaps we can understand whatever she does with her eyes." He paused to walk over to a chart and write something down. "You can't become a doctor if you don't open your eyes to possibilities and opportunities and you won't become a worthy one if you don't try to learn about your patient's background." Shikamaru explained to her in a snappish tone.

Sakura opened her mouth to apologize but he waved her off coldly. "Take notes of everything you find. Now go, you can probably find something in the library or the hall of records on the 3rd of 1st floor. Now go, you're worthless standing there-"

'_THAT'S IT!! I'M SICK OF IT!' _ Inner Sakura screamed before she emerged, clenched her fists and walked over to him. Without a word he met her eyes with an annoyed look, not realizing just how hostile the fiery look in her eyes was as he spoke. "Are you hard of hearing? I told you-"

But his eyes widened with shock as she struck his face. "I don't care what you are to Sasuke or if you have medical experience- you're sexist and cold-hearted-I'm not going to be treated like I'm trash anymore!" she told him before storming out leaving him completely speechless.

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'_I CAN'T STAND THAT BASTARD!!' _ Her mind screamed angrily. If he wasn't the way he was Sakura was sure that the two could have been friends, but being treated like trash was unacceptable. After all, she had been treated that way all her life. The only comfort she seemed to receive was from the Yamanakas; close family friends of her mother.

When she calmed down she stopped. _You can't become a doctor if don't learn to keep your head in certain situations. _

Damn.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Shikamaru was right, and it made her feel guilty. Though he was cold to her, he was only trying to prepare her for situations she would be faced with if she ended up getting Tsunade's attention.

'_I should apologize to him…If I don't get his help I'll have to go home…' _Sakura thought reluctantly before walking back in slowly.

She found Shikamaru sitting on a stool, holding the cheek she had slapped with an immense burst of strength. He had a dazed look on his face as if he was reminiscing about something.

And that was exactly what he was doing. This was the second woman that had slapped him with such a vicious look. The first was the one to open his eyes to all the possibilities and opportunities the world had to offer, the first to steal his heart. The first woman who made him fall in love; the one who made him whole…

She was also the same woman who brought him emptiness with a vicious slap and broke his heart. At that moment he realized that no woman was worthy having so much feeling for; that fairy tales and happy endings weren't logical. That love was troublesome; painful, and never everlasting.

And since then he had distanced himself from women, especially ones with such fiery attitudes and tempers.

And though Sakura was nothing like her, Shikamaru was constantly reminded of her when the pinkette was around.

"Um…" Sakura called to him when she realized he wasn't snapping out of his reverie. He looked up slightly but didn't say anything.

"I'm…sorry. You were only trying to ready me for situations in the future. I overreacted by misinterpreting your actions and it was wrong of me." She told him quietly as she bowed. "Please forgive me."

Nervously, Sakura watched the floor and saw Shikamaru jump off the stool and walk over to her. At first, she thought he was going to strike her back; as compensation, but instead he lifted her chin.

"Lift your head. I'm no one of important power." He told her monotonously. "And don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

Sakura looked at him with a quizzical look on her face as he turned his back to her. "But I-"

"I know that." He interjected. "But I deserved it- in a way." Sakura waited a few minutes before he elaborated. "I've let my past experiences get the best of me, and because of it I haven't treated you like an equivalent…"

She waited patiently again before he continued to explain himself. "The look in those eyes of yours…they're one in a million. I've only met one person with a similar expression…and that same woman both gave me bliss and pain." This time he turned to look at her.

"And you remind me of her."

**TBC...**

**no new announcements this time...but please keep reviewing ! **

**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	28. The Woman that Opened my Eyes

**I'm back guys!! And just like I said I have another chapter for you guys-EARLIER THIS TIME :)**

**Last chapter I mentioned how I really liked this one story (T rated) called Go Ahead Kill Me. Well I'd like to give you a little more on this experience :). It completely made me fall in love and it's REALLY good! the pairings are sasuxsaku and a little naruxhina shikaxino and it's by **CommitedToKiba**.She deserves a lot more credit than she's been getting so please read and give her feedback when you have the time.**

**And I know that I made Gaara OOC last chapter, but to reveal his situation I had (in a way) since he's anti-social (like Sasuke) and doesn't talk much. He'll form into character as the story unfolds.**

**Also! I know how you guys want Ino to reappear and I have you know that she WILL appear ****sooner than you think **** along with a few other characters. Just have patience with me because Kami knows that I haven't lately…**

**Special Thanks To:**

**one2bLoved**

Viridis (new reader!! and thanks for the advice \./. i only plan to make the plot deeper, maybe even a little confusing. hinteveryone will pretty much be connected in SOME way.)

lacusclien4

cutebutweirdlucy18

xx-tenshi-xx

blue-silver light

sakura the lover

mintxrain

Kakashi500

PASSION244

Teiana

WooHooDork

xImCharmedx

Queen-of-Spades (new reader!)

Namine-sama

Foolish Angel in Darkness (new reader!)

Daughter of Unending Darkness

Starlight - Wild Koneko (new reader!)

sasusaku779

i love hershey

uchiha helena-hime

**Oh, and just to mess with you guys, I WON'T be revealing the name to Shikamaru's former girlfriend. Just read carefully and find out :).  
**

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"I've only met one other person with a look similar to yours. This woman gave me both bliss and pain…" Shikamaru told her before turning his head to meet her eyes. "And you remind me of her."

'_I remind him of someone? Is that why he's been such a jackass to me?' _"…What was she to you?" Sakura asked him wondering if the woman he was referring her to was the same woman that made his life fall into turmoil.

"She was the woman responsible for me being here." Shikamaru replied quietly. _'So I was right,' _She thought as he motioned her to sit down on stool while he leaned on a medicine counter.

"She was my assistant and talented at everything she did…we were trying to find a cure for the Illness plaguing all the countries, not just Konoha…"

"_Shikamaru-san," called an attractive, but tough-looking woman. She seemed to have a serious expression on her face. "What is it?" he asked in a cool tone as she walked over to him and set down a medical record._

"_Test subject #554 seems to be showing remission signs." Said the woman with a pleased expression. When Shikamaru noticed the dark creases under her eyes he had to force himself to keep a professional front as he asked, "Did you stay up all night observing them?" _

_With fatigue she nodded. "Aah. I know how much effort you put into this research, so sacrificing a little sleep is worth it."_

_This made Shikamaru smile lightly. "I'm lucky to have such a dedicated assistant." He replied. But instead of having his smile returned like he expected, a hint of sadness could be seen in the woman's eyes. _

"_Something wrong?" he asked._

"_Shikamaru-san…am I just an assistant to you?" she asked quietly as she looked away._

_He paused to think before lifting her chin. "Without you I don't think that any of this would've been possible. If we keep this up, we can save the world."_

_But the woman didn't look up as she smacked his hand away. "Excuse me." She told in a shaky tone before pivoting around hurrying out of the room. Puzzled, he watched her leave before studying the record carefully._

_When the sun had set Shikamaru decided to take a walk to gather his thoughts when he ran into his blonde assistant._

"_O-Oh, Shikamaru-san. Sorry for…my behavior earlier. I…don't know what got into me."_

"_I think I know why." He told her softly. She looked up with hopeful eyes. "You do?" she asked as he moved closer to her. _

_Her heart started to beat faster and her cheeks redden as the man came inches of he, lifted his hand and pressed it gently against her forehead. "You feel a little warm. I think its fatigue."_

_She gave a defeated sigh before she laughed at his ignorance. "You're such an intelligent man, but you're oblivious to a woman's feelings."_

_He gave her a quizzical look. "What does feeling have to do with fatigue?" he asked before she walked closer to him. "Because it wasn't fatigue."_

"…_Then what was it?"_

_She laughed airily again before she stood on her tiptoes. "Let me show you." She whispered before her arms snaked around his neck and pressed her lips chastely against his. _

_Shock, surprise, and a dizzy, giddy feeling waved over him before he subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled him closer to her; closing his eyes and accepting her kiss._

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"_Shikamaru-kun," the woman had said as she leaned against the doorway to his study. Her long wavy hair wasn't tied back but let down, and her bare body was covered with a hip hugging but thin white robe_

"_What is it?" He asked monotonously and not turning around to face the woman who deep down craved the attention of the man she had grown to love. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms seductively around his neck as her lips touched his ear slightly as she spoke in a hushed whisper "You've been up all night…you're going to faint from exhaustion…."._

"_I can't rest… I think I'm getting somewhere with test subject #670…" he told her, still not turning around._

_Hopelessly, she pulled herself off him and spun his chair around, putting her hands on her hips frustratingly. "I know you're doing this for a good cause, but you said that about test subject #556, 618, 624, and 650." _

_She paused to walk over to him and put a hand seductively on his thigh and one on his chin. "So spend some time with me…" she told him, trying to graze his lips with a kiss._

_But he didn't accept it and coldly turned back to his microscope. "There isn't time to waste. This blood sample from #670 could be the cure to this Illness-"_

_SLAP._

_Viciously, the blonde woman's hand dashed across his face. But his shock didn't lie in her action, it was her brown eyes filled with such hostility and hurt. "I'm tired of this, Shikamaru!! You've gotten so caught up in your research so much that you spend days at a time in here!! Tell me…what's important in your life?." She turned away from him. _

_When he didn't reply her hands falling limply to her sides._

"_I see you've decided what's truly important in your life…and it's not me. Goodbye." She told him in a betrayed tone before hurrying out of the room and shutting the door._

"_You obviously don't understand the importance of this research…I'm better off without you!" he called after her as he turned back to his research. But as he did he could no longer focus on it and dashed out of the room to look for her._

_But no matter how hard he searched she was no longer to be found. She was the only woman he had grown to love and adore, but he had realized this too late by letting his drive to discover a cure take control of him._

"_What have I done…" he told himself gravely._

"…After that I couldn't focus on my work." Shikamaru told her quietly as she sat, biting her lip with remorse as he looked down at his feet. "I became an alcoholic…and one day I drank too much and accidentally started a fire. I woke up here days later."

'_Like Sasuke's great uncle Shikamaru dedicated everything his life to finding a cure for the Illness…and ended up losing everything…how many lives have been ruined because of this?' _

"Did you ever try to pick up on your research again?"

Shikamaru shook his head hopelessly. "It took control of my life. I decided it was a hopeless cause."

"And because of you're relationship with that woman you've been cold towards us ever since? But instead of becoming prejudice towards us why didn't you try to seek the answer as to why she left in the first place?"

Shikamaru thought about this but was unable to meet her eyes. When he didn't answer she added, "I know how it feels to lose the people you love, and that it's easier to put the blame on someone- anyone else. But it's not fair to me. I'm supposed to be working beside you to help Hinata and become a worthy doctor in Tsunade's eyes. If you put your personal life before your profession you won't succeed in what you do."

"Perhaps…not all women are…troublesome…" Shikamaru responded quietly, now looking up to her. "I've been so caught up lecturing you I forgot that I've been making mistakes as well."

Sakura gave a light smile before she stood up. "I better get going. I have some work to do."

"Sakura" Shikamaru called to her as she started to walk out the door making her turn her head to look at him. "Arigato...for opening my eyes again."

This made Sakura turn completely around and grin. "We're technically co-workers, and I know that if we get along, we can accomplish much more." She replied as she took her leave. But as Shikamaru watched her leave a smile grazed his lips.

'_She's alright.' _He thought before returning to his work.

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Meanwhile Sasuke felt confused as he sat down in his study. The look Sakura had left him made him perturbed. Had she misinterpreted what he had been trying to say?

'_But if I tell her the real reason why she'll want to leave.' _He thought gloomily as he cupped his hands in front of his face. If his uncle Yozu ever received word about what happened with him and Sakura; a "peasant" and an illegitimate child, Sasuke would be forced to marry off a hime to tie lands or lose his title to the throne.

But worst of all, Sakura would be asked to leave, forbidden to ever see him again.

When the image of her pink hair, sparkling green eyes and elegant smile flashed in his mind Sasuke remembered the somewhat empty feeling he felt before her sudden appearance in his life.

'_Just my luck…' _he thought bitterly. Once again he would have all the odds against him and be forced to think more about others than himself for their sake again.

Even if it meant denying his feelings for the certain pinkette who had paved her way into his heart to time to everyone-including his best friend who had also taken a liking to her.

"Ne, teme you think too much." Naruto told him making him jump slightly as he entered the study without notice as he offered him a cup of green tea. "What's on your mind?"

"Hn." Sasuke shot him a glare as he answered and accepted the cup.

"Stop with the evil looks already! I haven't even done anything…lately." Naruto complained before he found something to ramble about. "Did you see that meteor shower last night? I mean wow! I'm glad I looked outside my window-if I hadn't forgotten to close my window like I do every night I wouldn't have seen it because-"

"Naruto." The raven-haired man told him behind his cup. Normally, he would listen to his best friend ramble on before tuning him out- especially since he had an exceptionally good time last night on the roof with Sakura- but upsetting the woman in some way made him extremely irritable.

And Naruto noticed immediately. "Teme what's you're problem! You're being more of a jackass than usual…something's botherin' you-I mean I know you don't smile or talk much but this isn't fair!" he yelled as he stood up, slammed his hands on Sasuke's desk, and leaned forward while peering at him through small slits.

"Hn." Sasuke answered as he jerked his head away from him irritably. Naruto crossed his arms. "I bet you wouldn't act this way to Sakura-chan-"then he paused to grin evilly and ask. "Where' IS she anyway?"

Luckily, Sasuke flinched behind his cup; making the action go unnoticed as he replied. "Why do you care?" though he spoke as hostile as he could towards the blonde-haired man, his grin grew even wider for he knew Sasuke better than anyone else. "Did you and Sakura-chan…get into a fight?"

He flinched again. _'Damn…why the hell is he acting so smart…?' _he contemplated before he replied. "What makes you think-"

"AH-HAH!! I KNEW IT- YOU DIDN'T DENY IT WHICH MEANS I'M RIGHT!!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he stood up and did a tiny happy dance, irking Sasuke.

"Even if we did what difference does it make?" Sasuke asked petulantly as his friend's grin miraculously widened. "It makes a ton of difference. Since Sakura-chan's been here you've been in a somewhat 'non-bastard' mood…and since you don't understand how much of a chicken's ASS you can be YOU probably pissed HER off."

'_Oops.' _Sasuke thought as a reasonably thick pencil flew from his hand and whacked Naruto.

"ITAI…..SASUKE-TEME what was that for!!" the boy complained as he rubbed his head. "Hn." The raven-haired lord replied.

Naruto glared at him.

And He glared back.

The blonde sighed when he realized that he couldn't win against him when it came to glaring. "You know you don't have to be such a di-"

But before he could finish his retort the door opened revealing 3 guards. "Uchiha-sama, the elders require you at the castle entrance."

"I have no intentions of seeing them. I'm busy." Sasuke told them icily making them take a step back. "But you have a guest…please do not disappoint them…" Implored the second guard. They were well aware of Sasuke's temper, but neither wanted to face Uchiha Yozu's either.

Sasuke's eyes flashed a bloody crimson. "Hn?"

The guards sensed their lord's ill-tempered mood before they bowed humbly "Please cooperate Uchiha-sama."

"Come on teme, if your uncle got off his ass to greet this person they must be important." Naruto encouraged softly. "Besides, if you don't go it'll just be another reason for them to get on your case…what would your parents say?"

Sasuke thought about this. Acting this way would even dishearten his mother, who he never seemed to disappoint and his father would call him dishonorable. He could almost hear what his father had told him many years ago:

"_If you want to become a lord worthy of guiding his people, you must always put them before yourself, your feelings, and most of all your pride."_

"Aah. I know." He replied before standing up and walking out of the room.

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Sasuke allowed the 3 guards to lead him quietly downstairs to the main entrance. But as they turned a corner green eyes met onyx ones.

And they stopped.

"S-Sasuke…" Sakura murmured before she quickly averted her gaze from his _'Remember your promise to Ino…' _"I'm sorry but I have work to do for Shikamaru-"

"Sakura." Sasuke interrupted as he grabbed her wrist. "About earlier-"

But the two of the guards touched his shoulders. "Uchiha-sama we cannot be late." But he ignored them as Sakura tried to jerk her wrist away. "I can't I'm busy can this wait-"

"No. We have to talk now." He told her, holding her wrist tighter. Why wouldn't she look him in the eyes? Then it hit him. _'So she did misinterpret what I meant earlier…_

But the guards pulled on his shoulders. "Uchiha-sama your guest is waiting-"

"The guards are right- you have a guest, and it's unprofessional of you to keep them waiting." The pink-haired woman protested as she jerked away from his grasp but refused to look in his eyes. "Your main priority is to put your people first, and keeping them waiting is showing the elders that you aren't a dedicated lord."

"Sakura-"he said softly but she shook her head as she walked past him. "So prove them wrong." _And forget about me. _She thought as she hurried off.

Sasuke watched the woman walk away from him and felt something inside him ache before he was hauled off to greet his guest.

But as he was escorted downstairs a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach made him uneasy. From the top of the stairs he saw Kaito standing at the bottom of the stairs. Near the front stood the entire Council and behind them he couldn't faintly see the top of a man's head.

When he descended down the final steps to the main hall where Kaito stood to greet him Sasuke looked into his caretaker's eyes and realized something was wrong.

"Sasuke-san, we're lucky you could **finally **make it down here." Yozu spat as he eyed his nephew with a cold stare.

Sasuke returned it. "Aah."

"As we have said before, Kaito is getting old. We're worried about his overall well-being and called upon a new adviser to take his place. We would like you to welcome this man of high stature and respect him as you have Kaito." Saito told him with an expression created to hide a smug satisfaction as Kaito lowered his head with sorrow.

The council stepped aside to reveal a man with a freaky smile. As Sasuke's eyes met his it sent uneasy chills down his spine.

He had a bad feeling about this man.

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"Sakura-chan," Naruto called with a gleeful air around him as he nearly bumped into her. "Oh, Naruto. I haven't seen you all day."

"Where were you headed?" the boy asked as he eyed to beautiful girl in front of him. "Shikamaru wanted me to do a background check on Hinata and he told me that Kaito could help me. Do you know where he is?"

Naruto shrugged. "Kaito's always moving around. He's probably as old as Sasuke's great grandfather but he's probably the strongest man in Konoha..." then he turned to grin at her. "Even Sasuke wouldn't give him a run for his money."

Sakura gave a fake laugh as she looked away. At that moment Sasuke was someone she didn't want to hear of. "Where were you headed?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, well a couple guards told me that the elders commanded everyone to report to the courtyard for some big announcement…" the blonde replied as Sakura turned around to walk down to the first floor with him.

"Do you know what it's about?"

Naruto shook his head. "No clue. We don't really get any big announcements but it's probably about this guest that arrived not long ago…" he paused to look at her. "This person must be really important. Sasuke was escorted down by 3 guards this time."

Curiously, Sakura contemplated this mentally. Who could possibly be so important that the elders would demand everyone in the courtyard? Then she relaxed. After all when SHE arrived the entire castle was required to know of her presence.

When the two walked downstairs and entered the courtyard they spotted Shikamaru almost automatically.

But what they weren't expected was Hinata with him.

"Why is-?" Sakura asked him when he noticed her and Naruto. He shrugged. "Don't ask me, ask that troublesome Yoroichi. He told me that even Hinata had to come here."

In a few minutes everyone in the castle appeared at one of the entrances, murmuring among themselves on what this announcement could be. But all quieted when Sasuke, the Council, and a man appeared.

"Everyone, I apologize for…calling you here before the Elders and myself." Sasuke told them with a stoic expression. But no one seemed to notice his lips scrunched slightly into an uneasy expression expect Sakura.

'_Something's wrong…Sasuke doesn't talk that way…' _she thought, becoming uneasy as he continued his speech. "But you were gathered here to meet the newest member of our staff; our newest adviser who's taking the place of Kaito-who has been with the Uchiha family for many, many years."

The hearts of nearly the entire castle fell when he finished these words. None of the elders noticed this as the man stepped forward to stand next to Sasuke.

Hundreds watched the pale man's mouth curl into a creepy smirk as he eyed them all with sinister golden eyes.

Hinata, who had met the man's eyes directly suddenly, felt the room spin before she saw the room go dark, and she could no longer hear anymore, collapsing onto the ground. The man scanned the faces and found pink and met Sakura's jade eyes. And as he did this she could almost feel a blade piecing her heart as fear wavered over her.

The man's eyes were inhuman; his stare monstrous and cold. And it made Sakura freeze with fear. _'No good…will come from this man…' _she thought as he spoke without taking his eyes off of Sakura and speaking in a tone just as creepy as his appearance.

"My name is Orochimaru, and I will enjoy my stay here very _very _much."

**TBC…**

**:) I love it messing with you guys. It's like running without looking and suddenly finding yourself falling off a CLIFF, but not knowing how high up you are. **

**Next upload should be nxt tues, weds, and if I'm really behind thurs…just so you guys can soak in the suspense. After all, Sakura is beginning to distance herself from Sasuke and Orochimaru is paralyzing her with fear…and WHY did Hinata mysteriously faint? Keep reading and find out. (dramatization)**

'**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	29. Words That Clouded a Flower's Eyes

**Hey guys I'm really sorry that this is so late!! I know a few of you are pretty mad and at the point of "I'm-going-to-track-you-down" ((O.o please don't. I like life.)) but I've been extremely busy ALL WEEK because:**

**-Pre-exams week (stressing like CRAZY)**

**-Last music contest of the school yr (THANK GOD) and we got a gold medal!**

**-Exam-week is next week and all our schedules are #**

**-I've been BED-RIDDEN for the past couple of days because of fatigue. **

**But I love you guys for being so patient. I haven't gotten any hate-mail yet and I have over ****400 REVIEWS ****so I think I'm doing alright…and you all are really amusing me with your review/comments :).**

**Also, I know that Orochimaru's appearance really screwed with you guys, and a few of you definitely have ****some**** of the plot webbed out, but with this story it's like riding a roller coaster with your eyes closed. You don't know when there's going to be a dip or a loop, twist or turn :) (That pretty much means I'm not done throwing twists at you just yet)**

**Oh, and don't think that I completely gave everything away with the Hinata situation. ;) There's more to it than you think. Just keep reading. **

**In addition to my special thanks to spot I'll also be putting comments next to some of my reviews along with a "reader of the chapter" type of thing. The person that amuses/amazes me the most will get this long column :).**

**Special Thanks To:**

**Kainat**

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**Viridis**

**Lady Sayomi (YOU'RE MY READER OF THE CHAPTER- this- If you can seriously sit through reading my long rambling story in one setting YOU AMAZE ME!! This review really encouraged me to upload this today. Oh, and I like that word enraptured :) a lot. Please stay with me until the end!!)**

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**Read the ending of this chapter too. There's info about YOU GUYS deciding when Kakashi will appear and when Ino will return. And don't worry SasuXSaku fluff-lovers, the fluff will not diminish completely. Some of this WILL piss you off though. So be prepared. Haha :).**

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When the ceremony had ended the 3 carrying the unconscious Hinata went back to the infirmary.

"I knew it was troublesome bringing her to the courtyard…" Shikamaru grumbled as he set her on the bed gently. "I wonder what made her fall over all of a sudden…" Naruto wondered aloud, turning his attention to the pinkette who hadn't said anything since Sasuke introduced Orochimaru. _'Something's wrong…' _the cobalt-blue eyed man thought as he looked at her. The look in her viridian eyes appeared shaken, and she seemed lost in thought.

Sakura, who didn't notice him staring, remembered the recent events.

"_My name is Orochimaru, and I will enjoy my stay here very much." _

When he had said this everyone became completely silent. No one had clapped nor cheered. A few were intrigued and others were disheartened by this man appearing, but many, including Sakura were horrorstruck. How could this man be taking Kaito's place?

Especially with such murderous eyes?

"Ne...Sakura-chan…can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked, pulling on her thin wrist without consent and taking her out of the room. "Is…there something bothering you?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked without meeting his eyes. "Well…when Hinata-chan fell over you acted like you didn't even see it after that Orochimaru guy introduced himself...have you met him before or somethin'?"

Sakura shook her head. The mention of his name sent eerie chills down her spine. "No…but when he was looking at the crowd his eyes met mine-"she paused to pull him closer. "-and when he did I saw something- I mean something behind them…something inhuman; almost monstrous…"

Naruto gave her a goofy reassuring grin. "Sakura-chan, it was probably nothing. Sure he's a little creepy looking and in need of a tan- more than Sai- I mean did you see how PALE his skin was?" He joked, hoping to get her to smile. But his attempt was unsuccessful.

"Naruto I looked straight into his eyes and saw SOMETHING…and when I did he noticed- as if he KNEW that I saw it-that's why I didn't realize Hinata fainted…I couldn't even move-"

"You probably just saw that pedophile…ness…inside him. I mean wanting to molest little kids isn't nomal…you're probably not used to seeing creepy people like that, but that doesn't make him not human." Naruto replied as he grabbed her shoulders reassuringly. "You think too much."

'_He isn't going to listen to me.'_ Sakura thought with a sigh and decided she needed to get out of there before she developed the urge to punch him through a wall. "You're right. I have some work to do for Shikamaru, so I'll see you later, okay?" She asked with a fake smile before hurrying off; not bothering to wait for his answer.

Naruto who was still looking at her retreating figure shrugged with a quizzical expression shrugged before walking back into Hinata's room.

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When Sakura was far away enough from them she rested against a hallway corner and slid down to the floor with a sigh. _'Get a grip Sakura!' _her mind demanded. She couldn't just be the only one who thought there was something horribly wrong with that Orochimaru guy. _'Maybe I am just seeing things…'_

But that didn't explain the uncomfortable expression in Sasuke's eyes. Nor did explain why she had been stricken stiff with fear when Orochimaru's eyes met hers. But she shook the question from her head. _'It was probably nothing like Naruto said, I should just focus on getting those files on Hinata.'_

But deep down she wondered if she could focus on finding something, anything that Shikamaru had suggested when Sasuke's words had played back in her mind once more.

_Don't tell anybody about…this._

'_You know he tried to talk to you, earlier. Maybe he was trying to apologize or explain himself?' _Inner Sakura mused as she stood up. She shook her head to disagree because no matter what way she looked at it, it hurt. Was he embarrassed because she ran a small flower shop in town and not a prime minister's daughter or something?

"Something wrong?" A man with dashing raven-locks and the most captivating grey eyes you could ever lay eyes on asked, appearing around the corner.

Sasuke…

_If you break your promise to me I'll never forgive you, Sakura!!_

Shit.

Ino's promise.

Before she could think about moving she was trapped between the hallway wall and Sasuke's body as he stared down at her. "Why aren't you with your new advisor?" she asked without looking up at him. He recalled the events from earlier before replying.

_When Orochimaru had first introduced himself no one clapped or cheered as silence waved over them. Awkwardly, they began to clap but were still horror-struck by the thought of Kaito being replaced. _

_As the elders talked among themselves, Sasuke noticed Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura carrying Hinata back into the castle and stealthily slipped away. Unfortunately, he failed to realize that Orochimaru also saw the retreating figures in the crowd along with Sasuke slipping away without the elders' knowledge. His eyes gleamed with much satisfaction. 'So the hime is here as well…' he thought eerily as he resisted the urge to lick his lips and gave the crowd a devilish smirk. _

"That doesn't matter." He replied before noticing that she hadn't met his eyes since this morning. _'Don't look at him…you know how hard it'll be for you to look away if you do…' _her mind commanded.

"Sakura," Sasuke said as he touched her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes when she didn't look up. Something was definitely wrong. "Talk to me."

Sakura hesitated. _I wish I could, Sasuke…_ She thought miserably before she turned away from him. "There isn't anything to talk about."

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying-"

"Then look at me." He told her darkly, his tone startling her. When she didn't he wrapped his arms around her waist and spoke to her more gently. Sakura hesitated, and he noticed this. _"What's bothering you?"_ he asked silently; coaxing her to speak to him by kissing her neck. "S-Sasuke w-we shouldn't be doing this-someone could see us-"

"And?" He interjected as he continued to kiss her neck. He smirked against her neck when he felt her slowly snake up her hands up his back; he was just that damn irresistible.

"Well- earlier you said-"

Earlier…

That's when he chuckled making her frown. "I don't get what's so funny."

"That's why you're mad?" Sasuke asked. His tone of voice threw her off. It was almost gentle…loving. "Well you would be if-"but with a 'hn' he crushed his lips onto hers which she obligingly took. At that moment her promise to Ino didn't matter. After all, she was back in Konoha and Sakura was here at the Uchiha Castle- it wasn't as if she were watching over her, right?

But what they didn't see was the lingering golden eyes following closely behind her as an evil smile curled on his cold lips. _'Very interesting…'_

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After a few hours in the Hall of Records Sakura had gathered all the books and files she could find on anything pertaining to the Hinata's family. Quietly, she walked back to her room in higher spirits.

She had made up with Sasuke after misunderstanding him AND found tons of information on Hinata. _'The elders would be angry if I told them anything.'_ _He explained to her as he kissed her neck again. _

'_But when can we tell them?' Sakura had asked him as she let out a soft moan when he started to nibble._

Sakura smiled to herself as she touched a part of her neck that was hidden by her hair and kimono. Sasuke had bit and sucked hard enough on her neck to leave a tiny mark; as if promising her that he would declare it soon…and that she was his.

But as she turned a corner she ran into someone, intruding on her thoughts and making her drop all the books in her hand. "You should watch where you're going, Haruno-san." Spoke an old voice filled with bitterness.

"S-Sorry." Sakura murmured, looking up to meet Saito's cold eyes. But she froze when she realized Saito was not alone, but accompanied by Orochimaru who grabbed her chin forcefully.

"It's rude not look at the person who's talking to you." Saito added coldly.

Normally, when a man would do this at the flower shop, she would angrily smack his hand away and threatening to cut it off if he ever touched her again, but his cold golden eyes made her freeze with fear.

"Such intriguing eyes." He told her with a freaky grin, still touching her face. The feel of his cold, clammy fingers made her want to vomit. After all, the only man she allowed to touch her was Sasuke.

"What do you want?" Sakura demanded as she glared at the men.

"You have developed feelings for Uchiha-sama." Saito told her firmly. The pink-haired woman stiffened.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, hoping they didn't see her flinch. This made the man snort. "Give up your little charade; we know you've been…_associating_ with him." he told her this through his teeth; as if he were disgusted. Sakura felt her heart beat faster. How could they have known?

"I don't know what you're talking about." The pinkette told them without meeting their eyes as she jerked his hand away from her face. But the man was quicker as he grabbed her wrist roughly; making her yelp in pain as he yanked at her kimono, revealing the mark Sasuke had given her.

"And what is that?" Saito asked with a disgusted smirk. "You can either admit to being involved with Uchiha-sama or admit to being nothing more than a common whore. Just like your **mother**."

Sakura growled as a burst of energy shot through her. She yanked her wrist away from Orochimaru and raised her fist to strike Saito. Luckily for him he raised his palm to soften her hit and was surprised by the momentum of it.

_This woman is stronger than she appears. _He noted as the pale man held her wrists behind her. "Don't you ever talk about my mother that way!!" she screamed at him. But Saito ignored the gaze of pure hatred in her eyes and smirked at her.

"You should calm yourself. If Yozu-sama receives word of you your efforts to becoming a doctor will all be in vain. So be a good little girl and _do as you're told."_

Sakura forced herself to relax slightly as she murderously eyed him. Nothing was worth giving up her dreams; especially hitting a bastard like him.

"Distance yourself from Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru whispered in her ear. This gesture made her want to whip her head around and spit in his face.

"Your intentions were to contact Tsunade-sama yet your attention is focused on Uchiha-sama. How will you ever put forth extraordinary talent to get her attention like this?" Saito added with a smirk.

No matter how much Sakura wanted to deny this, Saito was right. She had been distracted with Sasuke on her mind.

"He is to marry a hime to tie lands; for the good of his people. Infatuating our lord is strictly forbidden." He told her with a smirk as he attempted to walk away from the horrified girl.

SHANNARO! This guy was blackmailing her!!

For falling for Sasuke.

But she made him happy; complete. Wasn't that enough?

But blackmail or no blackmail she had never been one to keep her mouth shut. Especially to a man as vile as him.

"Sasuke should be able to live and love as how he pleases…why do you; his advisers try to rule his life when he's superior to you?" Sakura demanded as a sudden boost of confidence and anger came out

"Quite the brave girl aren't you; attempting to go against me." Saito told her coldly as he yanked her wrist to pull her closer so he could growl, "No matter how desirable he finds you you're still just a **whore's daughter**; a **peasant girl**." Saito explained.

Sakura froze as he continued. "Uchiha-sama is only amused by your presence. When he gets bored with you, you'll be thrown out like the trash you are."

Orochimaru gave her one last ominous stare and creepy smile before he added. "The harder you fall for Sasuke-kun, the more you'll lose. You have been warned Haruno-_san_."

Sakura's eyes widened as her gaze met the man's monstrous ones. Sakura's knees buckle beneath her as the men walked past her and disappeared.

Sakura hit the floor angrily. Never had she let a man talk to her as if her opinion didn't matter or talk to her like she was trash, but never in her life had she looked into anyone's eyes and felt her throat tighten in fear to the point where it was difficult to breathe.

_When he gets bored with you, you'll be thrown out like the trash you are…_

Saito's words stung like a vicious slap to the face. '_Just because I don't come from a family with tons of money makes me any less human…' _she thought bitterly. _'Are they really that corrupted and shallow?'_

Now she was being blackmailed by a corrupted old man and the creepy new adviser for being seen with the lord of Konoha.

'_I wonder if things would have been different if I was from a royal family like Hinata…' _She thought miserably as her mind tried to look at things optimistically. _'Well at least now you can focus on your studies and leave Konoha without any ties besides Ino.'_

But that didn't help her mood in the slightest. In the short amount of time she had grown to know Sasuke and stayed with him at Uchiha castle she had been taught lessons she couldn't have learned anywhere else. She also discovered that not all men were vile like Saito and her father, but they could be kind and compassionate…even having the ability to make her fall fast…and hard.

Now she would have to teach herself to close up once more, and tell Sasuke that they weren't meant to be.

And knowing the headstrong lord this wasn't going to be easy…for the both of them.

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"Orochimaru-sama, are you sure this won't become troublesome for us?" Saito asked the man who was still wearing a large smirk on his face as they walked into an abandon part of the castle to talk interruptedly.

"Do you doubt me?" he asked in a dangerous tone, eyeing him evilly. The man took a step back and shook his head. "Of course not Orochimaru-sama, but Haruno-san is an aggressive one. Are you sure she won't run to Uchiha-sama about our conversation with her?"

"She'll be a good girl, just as she was told and break off her emotional ties with him. After all, she is the only thing standing in the way of our success."

"But if the plan fails and he confronts us?" Saito asked nervously before the pale man grabbed him by his neck and slammed his old body against the wall. A strangled noise escaped him as he wriggled with pain.

"Such a cowardly man you are. If I hadn't arrived at Uchiha castle the Council including you would never get what you want…but since you did as you were told Haruno Sakura won't tell him anything. This is because nothing-not even Sasuke-kun will make her give up her dream of finding her father." Then he chuckled as he let the man fall to the ground, gasping for breath. The old man noted in his head that he had to watch what he said around this man from now on or he would lose his life.

"But if Sasuke-kun does indeed confront you deny it and leave it to me. As long as you do not waver in your words he will not suspect you." Then he walked closer to the man and pulled out a kunai, placing it dangerously close to his neck. "If you prove incompetent to me I'll have you killed. Understand?"

Saito nodded frantically and fell to the floor. "I-I understand Orochimaru-sama- I'll do whatever you say!"

Orochimaru smirked evilly and licked his lips. "Excellent…"

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After finishing all his paperwork a bored Sasuke decided to pay Sakura a little visit. He briefly talked to a guard who informed him that the pinkette had been in her room for the past few hours with a stack of books and papers in her arms.

Quietly he snuck into her room without the hallway guards noticing. Sasuke found the girl hunched over her desk with her hands in her hair; looking over several documents lain out on the desk.

Though she looked busy and deep in thought, Sakura was really stressed and confused; unable to focus at all on the documents in front of her but what Saito had said to her.

'_I shouldn't listen to that bastard but…' _her thoughts her trailed off as she remembered the words he had spat at her.

_**You're nothing more than a common whore…just like your mother…**_

_No matter how desirable he finds you you're still nothing more than a __**whore's daughter; a peasant girl.**_

_As soon as he gets bored with you you'll be thrown out like the __**trash you are**__._

And on top of blackmail she had been breaking her promise to Ino.

Anger boiled over her as she hit her desk angrily. "**Kuso**! (English translation: Damn it)" Why did everything have to go wrong every time her life started turn up?

That's when she felt a pair of eyes behind her. Sakura swiveled around and realize it was Sasuke. His obsidian-onyx eyes intent on her.

"S-Sasuke…"

_Thump thump_

_Thump thump_

The bubblegum pink haired woman's heart was beating out of control as panic set in. _Distance yourself from Sasuke-kun…I'm sure if Yozu-sama receives word of this your attempts to become a doctor will all be in vain._

Sakura turned away from him. "Please leave…I have a lot of work to do."

Sasuke frowned. Since when was he shooed away? Normally on an act like this she should run into his arms.

_Something's wrong...again. _Sasuke thought curiously. Were women really this emotional? I mean he had already apologized (somewhat) to her. What else could she want?

"What did I do this time?" Sasuke asked her, nibbling on her ear curiously. Shivers darted across her skin as she shook her head. "N-Nothing…I have a lot on my mind."

"Like?"

"I'm…just confused."

"Hn?"

"…I know about the Uchiha castle policy."

Uchiha…policy? What was she talking about?

"I'm a poor girl who works at a flower shop and you're a rich lord…that's why- it'll never work between us." Sakura replied as she turned around to meet his eyes with a sad expression.

Confused waved over him. The Sakura he had grown close to wouldn't ever worry about something as silly as this. "Who told you this?" Sasuke demanded.

Sakura hesitated again; as if wanting to tell him something. But instead she looked away. "You have a bright future, Sasuke. I'm sure someone rich and prettier than I am will make you very happy one day-"

But she yelped when he grabbed hold of her shoulders angrily. "I don't want that!" he told her through gritted teeth. "I want…"but his voice trailed off. He was never good at saying what was on his mind. Especially on a subject like this.

_This is harder than I thought… _Sakura thought before she forced an annoyed look. "You let me stay here so I could become a doctor, remember? It's better for the both of us if we didn't get sidetracked…" Sakura touched his face sadly. "You'll make a great lord one day, Sasuke…without my help."

Sasuke grabbed her wrist and yanked her close to his body before he growled, "The Sakura I know doesn't talk like this."

And he stormed out without looking back.

When Sasuke slammed the door shut she fell to her knees and thick tears she had been forcing back trickled down her cheeks and plopped onto the wood floor. _Sasuke…gomen ne…_

**TBC **

**I love cliffhangers. Don't you? :) I promise to upload soon. Also! I know this is getting pretty long, so I'm going to be ending it soon. I have different endings in mind, so I'll probably have alternate endings for you guys.**

**Also! Kakashi will appear sometime soon…IF you guys like. If you want him to be a serious character (history, part of the main plot) then he'll probably arrive later down the line. But if you guys want him to appear soon, I can make him appear but he'll be used for more comedic purposes. Just give me feedback on it. (advice: DON'T EMAIL ME! I rarely get the messages because my inbox using passes the 300 mark a day with spam and other things.)**

**Ino will ALSO be making her appearance soon as well. Be patient. Those who want her…hit…by…a cart…err…you just might get your wish-but for comedic purposes later haha (thanks for the idea I'll make sure to give you credit if I use it later.)**

**Till next time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	30. I Won't Let You Go

**Hey guys I decided to upload today because the suspense was killing you guys (see I'm not all that conniving and evil! ). I've also decided that Kakashi will appear as a ****serious character**** because of your responses.**

**I'm sure you guys will like this chapter a little better than the last. As I've told you before I won't distinguish the SasuxSaku fluff :) (hint hint)**

**The plot is only going to get more elaborate from here. Some will piss you guys off, some will make you jump like a fan girl (or boy) and some might even make you throw a chair and cry. But I hope that through it all you stick by me until the end :)**

**Namine-sama**

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'_Sasuke…gomen ne.' _Sakura thought as she let the tears trickle down her cheeks. _'Get a grip Sakura.' _She tried to tell herself as she wiped her eyes. _'You've only known him for a few days. It's not that hard to get unattatched-'_

But it was.

She hadn't opened her heart up to anyone besides the Yamanaka's, and when she did Sasuke had made her feel things she had never realized a man could do…

And now she would have to give that up to become a doctor.

'_Shannaro Sakura!! You can't let this bastard get to you!! Fight back, I'm sure if you do something or tell someone you can have Sasuke AND be a doctor.'_

Sakura shook her head. _'It's not that simple'_. If she DID end up contacting Tsunade she would have to leave Konoha to work along side her. She'd have a better chance searching for her father, but she would have to leave him in the process.

'_It's better this way.' _Sakura told herself as she lay down on her bed and dozed off in a despondent sleep.

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As Sasuke stormed down the hall the guards stayed clear of him for everyone knew not to mess with a royally pissed off Uchiha.

The raven haired man's eyes flickered crimson as he tried to sort out his thoughts gloomily. It had only been a few hours when Sakura didn't want to let him go, but now…

'_We can't be together…'_

"_I'm sure a rich woman must prettier than I am will make you very happy one day."_

Damn it.

'_Someone had to have said something to her.'_ Sasuke thought bitterly_. 'Sakura wouldn't let someone talk to her like she were below them.'_

Unless she couldn't talk back.

"Yozu…" he growled under his breath before he rushed down to his uncle's office and ran into Kaito.

"Oh, Sasuke-"Kaito told him as he tried to sound cheerful, but he frowned when he saw the man clenching his fists with fury, and his eyes were completely crimson. Which could only mean one thing:

He was really pissed.

"What troubles you, Sasuke?" he asked, grabbing his shoulders. When Sasuke was this angry he didn't think logically; he needed someone to reason with him.

"That bastard Yozu…" Sasuke growled as he tried to pass him. "What did Yozu-sama do?" Kaito asked him calmly as his grip tightened.

"He said something to Sakura…she's not making sense-"

"And you're positive he said something to her? Haruno-san DID get on his good side after all." His caretaker paused to add. "Cool your head Sasuke."

Kaito clenched his shoulder with monstrous strength before Sasuke decided it was better to calm down. No one could match Kaito's strength; no matter how young or strong they were.

"Hn." He told him bleakly before Kaito smiled. "Good. Now, how was Haruno-san not making sense to you?"

_Would it be okay to tell him…? _He thought hesitantly. But the gleam in the old man's eyes seemed to silently tell him that he somewhat knew of them. So he briefly filled him in. After all, he was his most trusted adviser and friend, even closer than Naruto.

Kaito smiled. He knew that one day Sasuke would find a woman that would pave her way into his seemly stone heart, and that woman turned out to be Sakura. "I had a feeling that you special feelings for Haruno-san-"

"Hn." Sasuke told him with a glare, silently demanding him to give him advice. "Ahem…but where was I…oh yes. I believe that Yozu-sama isn't the man you're looking for."

"Hn?" Sasuke demanded. Kaito lowered his head. _'It should be obvious that it's Saito…' _he thought to himself. The cruel man who detested the thought of Sasuke ruling a country at his age could have easily been behind it after all.

But was it right to assume? After all, Sasuke HAD told him before that if he believed Saito was plotting against him he would kill him himself.

But then again, as his caretaker, closest friend, and adviser, it was Kaito's duty to worry about his Lord's overall well-being.

"I believe it was Saito-san." He replied quietly. At the thought of his name Sasuke eyes turned a bloody crimson once more. _'I knew it…_' Sasuke thought angrily. Why hadn't he thought of him first? Saito was one of the people on the Council that lords getting involved with 'peasant girls'- or a woman not from royal descent-was disgusting.

In fact, he despised everyone that didn't have money or power. Looks and personality didn't matter; if you didn't have one of those two attributes, you were trash.

"Sasuke!" Kaito yelled as he hurried after the raven-haired man but when he turned a corner Sasuke was gone.

'_Kuso…' _the old man thought as he ran a hand through his wispy hair. _'I foresee this will turn out bad…' _he thought before he hurried off to find the infuriated lord. If he couldn't catch up to him Sasuke Saito would be murdered for sure.

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Sasuke found Saito downstairs, wandering an abandoned hallway; as if looking for someone or something.

"**Saito**." He told him as he walked towards him.

"Uchiha-sama…"but Saito's voice was cut off when he saw his lord's obsidian eyes completely crimson and the dark commas were swirling furiously.

In a flash of a second the old man found himself slammed against the wall once more. He felt the wall crack as he came face-to-face with the man.

"U-Uchiha-sama…what- are you doing?!" he choked as pain surged through his body. "What the **hell **did you say to Sakura?" he hissed at him.

_If he confronts you, deny it. _"W-What do you mean I have not confronted Sakura-"but this only made Sasuke slam him harder against the wall. "You're lying through your teeth you-"

"I don't believe that's a very wise decision, Sasuke-_kun_." Called a creepy voice from behind him as a bony hand fell onto his shoulder. Sasuke turned around with a vicious stare to find that it was Orochimaru.

The lord smacked his hand away. "**Don't. Touch. Me.**" Sasuke snarl at him. Instead of being intimidated by such hostility Orochimaru's eyes seemed to gleam with interest as he examined the Uchiha's blood-red colored eyes. _'Such __**interesting **__eyes…' _he thought before speaking.

"As your new advisor I suggest you put Saito-san down…unless of course you would like Yozu-sama to receive word of this little incident…"

The dark commas centered in his eyes started to swirl rapidly as he stared down the pale man. He **dared **to threaten him?

The commas rapid spinning began to slow down when he heard Kaito's voice. "Sasuke please calm your-self!! I know you are upset but Orochimaru is right! You are not acting very lord-like!"

"Hn." Sasuke grumbled before he began to walk past them. Then he paused to stare at Orochimaru with detest. "You will **never **threaten me again."

"My apologies, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru told him with a repugnant smirk while his hand went to his chest and lowered his head to show respect before he turned a corner and disappeared.

"My, your timing is remarkable, Kaito-san," Orochimaru told him with hidden disgust. "I'm sure this would've been very troublesome if you hadn't shown up. Ne, Saito-san?" he asked the man who was still gasping for breath on the floor.

"R-Right…thank you, Kaito-san." The man told him nervously without looking up to meet the pale man's eyes.

Kaito's expression didn't soften as he stared at Saito. "You should be ashamed. I understand your principals go against royal blood associating with those with not, but such cowardice and vile behavior towards Haruno-san is unacceptable."

"But Kaito-sa-"

"She is Uchiha-sama's guest, and offending her is offending your lord, and that will prove fatal. I suggest you revise your way of thinking before acting upon them or you will lose your life." Kaito finished. He turned to Orochimaru who still had a smirk plastered on his face.

"Uchiha-sama is not someone to toy with. He is short-tempered, so be aware of what you say to and around him…I would like to believe that both of your intentions are good, not wicked."

"Of course." Orochimaru replied before Kaito left the room to find the still heated Sasuke. When he was gone Orochimaru spoke. "You're proving to be incompetent to me, Saito," he told him as he pulled out a kunai.

Fearfully Saito back up to the wall and held up his hands defensively. "P-Please Orochimaru-sama!! I promise I am not incompetent; the Uchiha would never have been able to link me to Haruno-san if it hadn't been for Kaito-san- he could prove troublesome in the long run…"

This made the man smile evilly. "You have brought up a very good point, Saito. Perhaps you aren't as useless as I assumed." He paused to put away his kunai. "If Kaito _does _become a problem in my plans…he might just have to be…_silenced _after all."

'_I'm sorry, Kaito-san, but it's either my skin or yours…' _Saito thought while apologizing silently before the two left the abandoned hallway and disappeared around a corner.

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Later, Sakura awoke to the moonlight shining on her face. After feeling the puffiness surrounding her eyes she stirred and sat up.

'_How long was I asleep…?' _She thought as she averted her eyes to the un-shaded window and accidentally found herself thinking of her time she had spent with Sasuke on top of the narrow roof; admiring the starry sky. And by remembering this she also remembered that she had cried herself to sleep.

_The harder you fall for him the more you'll lose._

"Kuso!!" she swore again as she hit her bed angrily. It just wasn't fair. Her life had been looking up and she had taught herself to open her heart and mind…and by doing this two men had come along and threatened to crush her dreams if she didn't let go of Sasuke.

And all because she wasn't from a royal family.

"_The Sakura I know doesn't talk like that."_

'_Maybe…you didn't know the real me after all…Sasuke' _Sakura thought bitterly as she rubbed her dry swollen eyes. _'If you forget what you know…maybe you'll make it easier for me to…'_

When her thoughts became to depressing for her to handle, Sakura decided to go down to the infirmary and give a few of the documents she had discovered about Hinata to Shikamaru for him to go over.

As she exited her room she thought about going to take a bath with the midnight-blue haired woman later if Shikamaru was done with her.

But as she turned a corner she heard Sasuke and Kaito talking.

"I know you're upset about various things, Sasuke, but you must not let your anger take control of you." Kaito told him with concern in his voice. "I know that." He told him in annoyance but refused to meet the man's eyes.

"That man will never match up to you." Sasuke told him quietly making the man smile lightly. "Aah, but perhaps if you clear your heart and mind you'll be able to see that his intentions are good-"

"?Do you?" Sasuke interjected wildly. Sakura resisted the urge to giggle. So she wasn't the only one who thought nothing good would come from Orochimaru.

"No-it's probably because it's his first night here…but he won't be here for long if you show such hostility towards him."

Sasuke gave him a bleak look making Kaito chuckle heartily. "I'm sure your uncle will disapprove if you shoo away your new adviser."

"I don't need another one." Sasuke replied curtly. "I know that you don't like the thought of me being replaced, but Yozu-sama was only thinking of my well-being. I shall still live in Konoha when I retire; close to Uchiha castle if you wish,"

"Why not stay here?" he asked quietly. After all Sasuke had grown to love his caretaker like the grandfather he once had, and as the most trusted and oldest man to the Uchiha clan he was the closest thing the heir had to him.

And letting him go was something he wasn't ready to do. Kaito put a hand on his shoulder. "I know that this is difficult for you to do, but as lord of Konoha you must always think more of your people than yourself. It's what your parents and grandfather wanted. Please try to think of this optimistically."

"How can I when the Council is turning against me?" Sasuke demanded. The old man lowered his head. He knew without a doubt that Sasuke was talking about the conflict with Saito detesting the thought of her being with Sasuke. "Never allowed a man of royal descent to associate with a woman who has not. They are blinded."

Sakura felt her heartbeat faster. He found out that Saito had said such cold things to her? Looks like Sasuke was taking this harder than she had thought.

"Royal blood doesn't mean a damn thing." Sasuke said angrily. "It's more than that…" he told Kaito quietly. _'I've never heard Sasuke sound so…vulnerable before…he must really be upset about this…but why?' _Sakura wondered as she continued to listen.

She could almost hear Kaito smile as he spoke. "Mikoto-sama would be pleased to hear you say that. It was one of her wishes to have you grow up to look past family backgrounds and ties and look at the actual person."

"Aah." Sasuke replied. Though he would never say it aloud, even to Kaito, he missed his mother very much. Like Kaito she could always give great advice; no matter what the situation was.

"It doesn't matter now." He told him quietly. Sasuke was never a man of very many words, and the average person wouldn't be able to understand his intentions at times, but Kaito knew that Sakura had told him to forget about her.

"Perhaps not all is lost?" he asked him. Sasuke looked up at him hopefully. Did his caretaker have an answer for him?

"As you have said before, Sakura would not talk as though being a woman of royal descent mattered, and you discovered that Saito was the one who had influenced her to think differently. If you inform her of the rage you felt when you discovered this, perhaps she will realize how much you truly care about her?"

Sakura felt her heart start to beat out of her chest and hoped that they couldn't hear it. Sasuke cared about her that much? Damn it…why was it so hard to get over this headstrong, antisocial boy?

Probably because he wasn't either of those things, but confused and afraid to open his heart so easily…just like her.

"…Would it work?" he asked quietly, not raising his head to look at the smiling man to hide his blush. "I cannot give you a definite answer but it's worth a try if Haruno-san is worth the struggle."

"Aah."

Happy tears sprung from her eyes as she started to walk away from the two talking. Besides Ino and her family she had grown up alone; never knowing the feeling of having someone think you were worth fighting for…until she met Sasuke.

Sasuke and Kaito chatted for a few more minutes before they went their separate ways. _'I'm not letting you go, Sakura!' _he thought with determination as he turned the corner.

But what he didn't hope to see was Sakura standing in the middle of the hall with tears falling so hard it made her shake.

"Saku-"

"Why…?" she asked in a shaky tone as she walked towards him. Taken aback by her question he froze; unable to answer. But the sudden flow of emotions didn't seem to stop there as she did something that took him by surprise even more.

She ran into his arms.

"Do you really…care that much about me?" The green-eyed beauty asked him in a hushed whisper. That's when he realized she had heard everything, and for a man of so little words it made him embarrassed.

"A-Aah-"but he could no longer talk as she silenced him with a kiss lined with all the love she could possess.

'_Better late than never.' _He thought as he obligingly returned her kiss with all the passion he could gather.

"S-Sasuke…" She moaned as she clutched his shoulders when she felt her body press against the wall.

"Hn." Sasuke asked as he attacked her neck.

"What do you want…?" She asked followed by a gasp when she felt herself being lifted up. Sasuke realized she was demanding an answer to what he had said earlier.

"You and no one else." He responded with a smirk as he grasped her waist possessively.

"Keep it that way." Sakura replied while her arms snaked around his waist and then up and around his neck before he carried her into a spare room and slammed the door

But little did the two know the pair of lingering yellow eyes watching them closely. _'Looks like Haruno Sakura is turning out to be more of a weed than a flower…' _he thought with a frown before a smirk slithered onto his face. "It appears I'll have to crush this weed after all…" and he slipped back into darkness.

**TBC…**

**Asuka-chan: Aah!! Orochimaru how does it feel to be seen as a total jackass for trying to ruin Sasuke and Sakura's relationship AND a stalker for always seeming to linger around in the darkness watching these two?**

**Orochimaru: I'm used to it. I can't change who I am…-freaky grin-**

**Asuka-chan: But you can! …With several years of therapy! O.o**

**Asuka-chan: Ino will be appearing ****very**** soon (she will not be hit by a cart for the mood is intense right now, but I suppose I could fit it in later down the line…) But that's all the time I have to talk with you guys so you aren't getting anymore hints. Next upload should be around the end of the week. I'm not sure yet, but I'll try to upload it fast so it doesn't kill you guys. **

**Till Next Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	31. I'm Yours and Only Yours

**Hey guys :) I know the chapter before the previous one probably pissed you guys off so the previous one was more like a mood booster :). And I know I rushed it a little, but even I'm eager to get to the real teeth crunching fan-girl jumping chapters. After all I DO plan to end it soon ****with alternate endings****. **

**ALSO!! Kakashi will make his appearance sometime soon, and with his appearance ****the plot and story **_**will**_** become deeper**** :) (Am I making you guys anxious? XD. I'm starting to make this story into an abyss to you guys…hehe. You don't seem to know how deep it is until you can see the bottom (which you can't yet) to.**

**I'm amazed at how many great readers I've had and how popular this story's gotten and I hope that you guys will continue to stick by me until the end.**

**Special Thanks:**

**AnbuShadowFang**

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sakura the lover

cuchygirlmc (new reader! im glad i got you hooked :) if i was a drug dealer i think id do purdy good. haha)

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**Also i confused myself. I ended up uploading without putting your names up so i deleted it THAT SECOND and fixed it :D sorry. my brain my brain stops working after 11:00**

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The next morning a surprised Sakura woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window panes brutally; which was a surprise to her. It hadn't rained in Konoha for months.

But what surprised her the most was the fact that this room wasn't hers at all. In fact, it didn't look familiar in the slightest. It was bare except for a desk in the left corner, the shaded windows and the soft mattress located in the middle of the floor. Her eyes widened when she turned to her left and acknowledged that she, in fact, wasn't alone in this bed after all.

Sakura gazed down at the raven-haired man sleeping soundly, untouched by time and a smile curled at her lips. _"I want you and no one else_" when she could almost hear Sasuke telling her this it made her feel wanted, claimed…loved.

A small blush tinted her cheeks when she remembered how she ended up in this room AND on the mattress in the first place.

"_S-Sasuke, we can't do this now…" She moaned as her fingers when into his hair. Sasuke was unrelenting in his attack on her body. With every moan she couldn't suppress the lower his hands would venture. But he didn't stop as he nibbled on her jaw. "Hn?" he asked curiously and watched her open her green orbs lazily. "B-Because…"_

_Resting on his elbows on both sides of her face so he wouldn't crush her with his body his obsidian eyes met hers with slight confusion. "Because what?"_

_A mad flush burned her cheeks as she turned her head to the side and hesitantly answered, "I-just can't…I'm…not ready." She paused to look up at him and her eyes made him understand automatically._

_Though she had feelings for him and had opened up to him, she wasn't ready to completely open her mind body and soul to him. There was still fear of being hurt and it showed in her viridian eyes._

_Sasuke seemed to understand by the vulnerability in her eyes for he too had trouble trusting others. Before Sakura came into his life Kaito was the only one he could truly spill his feelings to. Naruto had always been there, but his intellect and ability to focus on one subject or be serious for too long made him keep his distance slightly._

"_Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she touched his face gently; bringing him back to his senses and meeting the vividly beautiful face below him. "…Are you mad?" _

_His lips curled slightly, as if it were an attempt to smile and shook his head. "Why would I be?" _

"_Well…" Sakura's voice trailed off. Occasionally Ino would come home late at night looking very distraught. Though she didn't give the details she would explain to her that she refused to 'give-it-up' to the guy that had taken her out that night. In return he kicked her out of his house; sometimes into the cold rain. That's when she had told her how she admired and understood why Sakura chose to stay away from and resent men altogether._

_Though she didn't elaborate Sasuke leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'm not like other men."_

_Sakura smiled at him and leaned up to give him a chaste kiss. "Arigato."_

She watched him stir gently before dozing off. Saito and Orochimaru had been wrong; she wasn't just some woman that had finally come along and made Uchiha Sasuke lustful. '_He really does care for me after all._' Sakura thought as her inner self yelled 'Shannaro'. She was the first to ever make him fall for a woman, and it made her feel important. _'I'm not worthless after all…' _

She moved over to the window and watched the rain knocking on the panes violently. The rain made the town below look ominous and depressing. And as she stared back at her glowing green eyes and frowned. It was as if she were staring back at her father. Would she be able to find him? What if he were dead, as Konoha had assumed? Would her goal be in vain…? But her deepest worry seemed to be about the sleeping Uchiha; would she have to leave him in the end and would it be worth it if she had to?

But her biggest question was what would Sasuke's reaction be if she chose to leave with Tsunade to find her father?

But in the reflection of the window she saw a shirtless, groggy Uchiha sit up. A subconscious smile curled on her lips. _'It's better if I don't think about that right now.'_ She thought as she made her way over to him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders slowly and placed her lips up to his ear. "Good morning sleepyhead."

"Hn." He told her gently as he stifled a yawn and trying to lie back down. Sakura stopped him and kept him leaned up. "Time to get up; you have work to do."

"Hn."

"I'm sure the Council is having a heart attack with you gone missing the entire night." She added sarcastically. "I don't care." He responded gruffly as he succeeded by falling sideways back onto the futon with a soft thud.

Sakura groaned as she rolled him over and placed his head on her lap. "We have to leave this room _sometime_, y'know."

"No." Sasuke replied flatly as he closed his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do on his was part ways with Sakura. He would then have to face his responsibility as lord and possibly confront Yozu for trying to strangle Saito ruthlessly. Sakura touched his face and titled her head to glance down at him. "Eventually the guards are going to search every room and find us like this...and that will prove troublesome for the both of us."

"Let them." He told her without much emotion. Sakura gave an exasperated sigh. Who knew the Uchiha could be so stubborn? "Well I have things to do, Hinata wasn't exactly in the best condition last night and I left Shikamaru and Naruto to deal with it." She responded and scooped his head out of her lap while she headed for the door slowly.

Sakura wondered if he would try to stop her but just when she thought he was going to let her walk away Sasuke grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her back down on to the soft mattress.

"W-Wha-"Sakura paused to gape up at him. '_Gotcha.' _he thoughtas a tiny smirk lined the corners of his mouth. He was getting a kick out of this! "S-Sasuke-"but her voice trailed off when he lowered his head up to her ear. "I didn't say you could leave." Sasuke murmured.

"But you didn't say you COULDN'T let me leave." She countered playfully. Sasuke snorted and lay down to rest on his elbow so he could gaze down at the smiling woman. "Hn." He replied, dipping down and capturing her lips. '_How could you have feelings for someone you've known for such a short time?' _he thought to himself as he kissed her. It was only her fourth day at Uchiha Castle and he already was refusing her to leave his sight.

But the more time he spent with her the more he couldn't help but think that maybe SHE was the one that he had been waiting for all his life…

. The one to change him as a person and make him strive to become a better lord. The one that would change the way the Council thought about "peasants". But most of all

The one to save him from himself; it didn't matter if she was an orphan or didn't come from a rich family nor did it matter that she didn't look like any of the women in Konoha. Both inside and out Sakura was different than any other woman in Konoha. She changed him; made him comfortable, understood, and gave his life meaning…

And it made him happy.

She made a small whine when she found herself straddling the young lord. "Sasuke-I- really have to- get going-"She told him in between kisses. "No." he replied while grasping her tiny waist. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and the two froze. Was it a guard, like Sakura had said, looking for them? Perhaps it was one of the elder's personally looking for him?

As the door slid open Sakura tried to climb off him and run over to the window, but Sasuke stopped her by sitting up and giving her waist a tight squeeze. "B-But Sasuke they'll see us…" but she stopped talking when the raven-haired man gave her one of his signature smirks. "Let them."

Sakura held her breath as the door slid completely open. What would happen if it were the elders? Would they get in trouble for being seen like this- just as Saito had said? But if Sasuke didn't care what others thought, she wouldn't either.

Luckily, the person who had barged in on them was none other than Kaito. When he saw Sakura straddling the young Uchiha's waist and a coverlet hiding their lower halves he turned his head. "My apologies, Sasuke, Haruno-san. I didn't mean to interrupt-"

Sakura jumped off of him, her face bright as a tomato. "N-No you've got it all wrong we weren't doing _that_!" she responded quickly and held up her hands sheepishly. Even Sasuke looked embarrassed by his caretaker's dirty mind.

"Oh, I see. What a shame." He replied quietly making the two gape at him. "But where was I…I remember now. Haruno-san you're needed downstairs in the infirmary and Sasuke, though you will be reluctant to do this, you are required to attend a conference of great importance later today. Please get ready and be where you're needed in 10 minutes." Then he smiled. "It is lucky that I found you two before the guards did." And leaving them with that, he shut the door.

"I told you." Sakura told him proudly. "Hn." Sasuke replied before standing up and turning his back to her; looking around the room for his shirt. Sakura wrapped her around his bare chest. "I won't get to see you all day, will I?" she asked him softly.

"Probably not." He replied. If it was a conference of "great importance" than Yozu must have something up his sleeve. Maybe another attempt to marry him off?

Sakura walked about to stand on tip toes and snake her arms around his neck while she tilted her head up to him and gave him a chaste kiss. "Show them that you can lead Konoha without them watching over their shoulder. Prove them wrong." She told him before heading towards the door and leaving him longing for her. "Sakura," he called when she started to open the door. But as he opened his mouth to speak no words came out yet she only smiled as if knowing what he was going to say.

"Aah, I know. I'm yours and no one else's." and with that she walked out of the room and slid the door shut behind her.

"_I'm yours and no one else's." _Sasuke smiled to himself. It had a nice ring to it.

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In 10 minutes Kaito arrived at Sasuke's room. "Sasuke, it's time for your meeting."

After dressing in formal robes and attempting to comb his spiky raven hair he turned to walk over to him. "Aah."

As Kaito and Sasuke walked downstairs, the onyx eyed man turned to look at the man who had took care of him since before birth. "Oi, when are you leaving?" he asked him. Though he didn't want to show it, Kaito looked just as depressed about leaving Uchiha castle as everyone else was. "Tonight."

Why did it have to be so soon? His eyes seemed to scream. It wasn't as if Kaito were dead. So why did he have to leave Uchiha Castle against his wishes. "I know you are distraught about my quick departure, but Yozu-sama and the elders have decided that is would be best if I'm out of an area that would tempt me to work against their wishes and my health."

"But-"

"They also informed me that though you're lord you aren't thinking logically. Instead of thinking of my well-being you are thinking more of your emotions. I wasn't supposed to inform you of this but if you bring this matter up at the meeting Yozu-sama will completely oppose you ruling the country at your age." Kaito paused to gaze at him, "So please, for my sake, hold your tongue. I would not like to see the true heir of Konoha be dethroned because of me."

Sasuke clenched his fists angrily. "So I'm just supposed to keep my mouth shut and let them kick you out?" he demanded. How could Kaito allow them to depart from Uchiha Castle against his will? "Though I do not feel comfortable about leaving Yozu-sama is right. My spirit is willing to stay in Uchiha Castle forever, but my body isn't. Perhaps it's best if I do leave the castle." Then he paused to smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not look so discouraged, Sasuke. It's not as though I am leaving this world. I will be living in town. And as I've said before, if you wish it, I shall come to visit you."

"…Promise?" Sasuke asked quietly. At that moment Kaito saw the vulnerability in his eyes and could almost see him as a little boy. His eyes were hopeful like they had been when his parents and grandfather were still alive and Itachi was still around. This made him smile. "I promise, until the day I die, I will never forget to visit you." He replied. "But now onto bigger matters, have you thought of asking Haruno-san to stay at Uchiha Castle permanately?"

Sasuke's eyes widened at his question. "H-Hn?"

"I would be a shame if you let a woman-that has paved her way far enough into your heart that you found her worth fighting for-slip through your fingers." He replied. Sasuke thought about this, Kaito was right in a sense. If she didn't mean anything to him he wouldn't have gotten so worked up about her, but she had big dreams and goals she still had to fulfill. And standing in the way of that would be selfish.

Sasuke shook his head and said nothing more making the old man look at him in a peculiar way. "Would you let Haruno-san if there was an opportunity appeared suddenly?" he asked in bewilderment. He ran a hand through his spiky raven-hair. "That would be her decision." He replied.

"And you'd be able to live with the thought of letting her go?" Kaito asked a little disappointed in Sasuke's choice-making skills. He shrugged. "I don't know."

Kaito sighed. _'He must've been trying not to think about it until now.' _He mused before put on a smile and touched his shoulder confidently. "I trust that you'll make the right decision when the time comes, Sasuke."

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When the two entered the conference room they were surprised to see several important head figures of the neighboring countries seated on one side of the large rectangular table. On the other side of the table sat Yozu, Orochimaru, Saito and the rest of the Council. At the end of the table, farthest from the door, were two seats for Sasuke and Kaito.

"I see you two could make it **on time**." As Yozu said this he looked directly at Sasuke who ignored it as they made their way to their seats. "THIS is the Konoha's leader? If this is so our country has nothing to worry about!!" cackled a large, merry looking man seated in the thunder countries seat.

"He may look young but I assure you as the Uchiha clan's true heir he is the perfect for the role of hokage." Kaito explained.

"Well I like him. He'd be the perfect husband for my daughter!" boasted a woman with pursed lips, abnormally high and tight cheekbones and globs of makeup on her face. The plump woman next to her snorted. "_Pul-lease _Kanako. We all know YOUR daughter isn't the LEAST compatible with him! Now MY daughter-"

"And why do you think so Takiko?!" demanded the woman called Kanako. Takiko chuckled. "Because she has multiple personalities! One minute she'll be smiling and caressing his cheek and the next she'll be tying him up in his chambers and beating him with a wooden paddle-"

Sasuke choked on his spit as Yozu cleared his throat loudly. "Let's get back on topic, please."

"Yozu-sama is right," Saito added. Something about his voice made Sasuke's blood boil as he sat silently in his seat. "We're here to talk about world peace."

"But perhaps we could have alliances formed _and _let Uchiha-sama and the women of other countries have fun as well?" added Orochimaru in a creepy voice. Though the women looked slightly uncomfortable after noticing the pale looking man sitting in between Yozu and Saito they looked curious to what he had to say.

"And what would that be, Orochimaru-san?" Yozu asked. This made him smile evilly. "Why not throw a ball; here at Uchiha castle? The women could mingle while the men discuss important matters such as military reformation." As he said this he looked directly at Sasuke who almost felt his skin crawl.

The look that Orochimaru was giving him wasn't a nonchalant, ordinary look. It was the similar look that many of the women who had shown up at his door had given him.

"What a brilliant idea!" the women exclaimed happily. "I hear that in a distant country in the west there are balls with extravagant lights and flowing dresses…" explained an older lady, waving her arms dramatically.

"But of course, the decision is in Uchiha-sama's hands." Orochimaru explained to everyone. That's when the attention turned to Sasuke almost immediately. "Come on, Uchiha-san! You need to have fun once in awhile! Wouldn't you enjoy the company of hundreds of beautiful women who adore you?" asked Kanako excited. The other women met Sasuke's eyes with anticipated smiles but he knew their intentions deep down.

This was a hopeless attempt to try and marry him off to one of their daughters. Of course Sasuke knew that the answer to that was a "hell no" now that Sakura had walked into his life. But the threatening look in his uncle's eyes told him that he didn't have a choice.

"Aah. Fine." Sasuke replied monotonously. The last thing he wanted to do was spend his time standing around in an uncomfortable, unusual clothes, and surrounded by a bunch of annoying girls who wanted only for him to lead them back to his chambers.

He would rather spend his time on top of the castle roof with a certain pink-haired woman in his arms. The women squealed giddily. "Marvelous!! I knew that even the handsome but heart-of-ice Uchiha couldn't resist this opportunity!!" Takiiko exclaimed.

But Sasuke looked at her coldly. Heart-of-ice…?

"Excellent. The first Uchiha ball of allying the nations shall be on the 28th." Orochimaru replied. Everyone seemed surprised by how soon it was. "Only a few days from now? Are you sure that is enough time?" asked one of the elders near the end of the table.

"Judging by the hundreds of people in Uchiha castle I'm sure that 3 days is plenty of time." Replied another. Even Yozu seemed cheerful about it. "Then it's settled. Please rejoin us in three days."

After they head figures and the rest of the men departed from the conference room Sasuke left as well. But as he walked out the door he was almost startled to see Ororchimaru standing outside the door.

"Something bothering you, Sasuke-kun?" he asked with a small smirk. "Nothing concerning you." Sasuke spat.

"Do I not have a right to know about my lord's well-being?" Orochimaru asked. "Hn." He replied coldly as he started to take his leave.

"Is it because I am taking your beloved caretaker's place or that in 3 days hundreds of beautiful women will be in your castle?"

"I could care less." Sasuke shot back as he didn't turn around to look at him which delighted the pale man. "I'm not so sure. After all, another beautiful woman could come along and could jeopardize things with Haruno-san…but associating with her would be ruining Konoha's chances of obtaining world peace. The thought of the untouchable Uchiha Sasuke-sama taken would anger the women in other countries…"

Shit.

How did he know about him and Sakura? Did Saito tell him? That little worm…

"Of course, that would only prove troublesome if that's what is really bothering you…" The snake added nonchalantly with a undeniably creepy smile. Would Sasuke be able to deny this?

Sasuke scoffed. "I wouldn't let that happen." He replied and walked away with a smirk, almost seeing the man frown with disappointment.

'_Deny it all you want Sasuke-kun, but soon you won't have to lie about associating with Haruno Sakura…' _Orochimaru thought to himself with a smirk. _'Everything is going according to plan…'_

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In no time at all the news of the ball spread like wild fire.

Sakura who was headed towards the infirmary was ambushed by Yoroichi and Fuuyuki. "Sakura-san! Have you heard the good news?!" asked the excited young man with soft brown eyes.

"Good…news?" Sakura asked, puzzled by his question. "Uchiha-sama has approved of hosting a ball here at Uchiha Castle!" Yoroichi replied. "To appeal to the neighboring countries for world peace." Fuuyuki added softly.

But it didn't seem to reach Yoroichi at all. "Just think Sakura-san! All the beautiful women and royal families here at Uchiha castle!"

This seemed to hit a soft spot in Sakura's heart. Beautiful women. Who all probably wanted to court Sasuke than mingle among each other…and if Sakura was seen with him it would piss them off. He was famous after all.

"When is it?" Sakura asked, trying to sound just as excited. The man grinned. "On the 28th; which is only in a few days! How lucky are we, Sakura-san?"

But her forced smile faded when she realized how important that day was, and that she had forgotten all about it. "That's…my 18th birthday…" she replied quietly. Long ago, when she still had a happy family and her mother wasn't extremely ill she would spend the day with her father while her mother and the Yamanaka's set up the flower shop for her birthday parties. They were quiet and small, but always bittersweet.

But that all changed when her mother got sick and her father became mysteriously distant. When she became orphaned Ino and her family still tried to make her birthdays special, but after awhile she soon forgot the date existed, only to be reminded when they made her a delicious, creative cake, new clothes or something that was tiny but special in its own way.

Though she expected the two to become solemn, they grinned happily. "All the more to throw the ball! I'll alert the rest of the castle about this; this shall be a birthday you will never forget, Sakura-san!" he told her excitedly and hurried off.

Fuuyuki turned to look at the viridian-eyed woman. "Please excuse his behavior. It had been awhile since he's been in the company of a woman. Excuse me." he explained politely, bowed slightly and hurried off after his friend and partner.

Sakura sighed. Though she wasn't exactly enthusiastic about this ball being scheduled on a day she wanted nothing more than to forget, she couldn't help but feel slightly eager to what the castle would plan for her.

But for some strange reason she felt slightly uneasy, as if something terrible was going to happen. _'It's probably the rain….it doesn't happen very often in Konoha after all…get a grip Sakura. You should be happy.' _Her mind told her confidently, and her thoughts were right. After all, she had made up mysteriously quick with Sasuke, and he had (somewhat) confessed his feelings for her.

This seemed to calm her as she walked into the infirmary and was surprised to see Naruto taking Hinata's blood pressure on one of the couches across from the door and a quiet, uncomfortable looking Gaara sitting next to her. Shikamaru was sitting on a stool and arranging the medicines and changing the gauze on a medicine cart.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted cheerfully, happy that he was the first to notice her walking in. Hinata smiled timidly at her and Gaara nodded his greeting to her. Shikamaru, though, didn't lift his head.

"Ohayo, Naruto." She told him with a forced smile. She had a feeling that things weren't completely right here. "Shikamaru, you needed me-"but her voice trailed off when Shikamaru looked up at her with a moderately thick folder in his hand and a look that seemed to be a man battling with his sanity and trying to keep his composure.

Oh shit.

That's when she realized that that was the file she had dropped in the hallway after things began to get hot and heavy with Sasuke. "I see you received the file I found on Hinata…"

"Yeah that Orochimaru guy dropped it off before going to Sasuke's meeting." Naruto explained. This made Sakura's heart pound.

Double shit. Had he seen them together?

"Did…he say anything else?" Sakura asked trying to sound as if it wasn't bothering her. Naruto thought about this and scratched his head thoughtfully. "…Not really…he just said that he saw you drop at and thought that Shikamaru might want it."

Triple shit.

So he HAD seen them together after all….would he tell Yozu after she ignored their warning about staying away from him?

Then Shikamaru exploded. "To think I was beginning to think you weren't as troublesome as you looked: you dropped **vital **information about Hinata-which he probably searched through before giving to me; if all the files are here. We don't know a **damned **thing about him and most likely knows everything about the Hyuuga family and heiress!"

Hinata froze as he said this.

Quadruple Shit.

Orochimaru had most likely seen her and Sasuke together, and by ignoring their warning she had dropped vital information on Hinata; a possible rape victim.

And now he knew everything about her.

Especially her family secret: their eyes.

**TBC…**

**Sorry about the late update guys. I've been trying to finish this chapter for awhile now. This was actually supposed to be up by Saturday so I could have another chapter for you guys on Wednesday but I unexpectedly made Sasuke and Sakura make-up (honestly I hadn't planned it until the last minute) so I had to somewhat change the line of events a little. ****BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OTHER CHARACTER APPEARANCES WILL BE LATE!**** The outcomes will just be a little different now :).**

**One of my pre-previews are coming up including THIS ONE (which I have evilly decided to show you guys.)**

"_STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The bubblegum pink-haired woman screamed as she smacked his hand away. Her tears hidden but the pounding rain. The obsidian eyed man looked at her with desperation in his eyes. How did could things have gone wrong?_

"_Sakura I never meant for this to-"_

"_Save it!" She screamed over the icy rain drops beating the ground and the beautiful dress she had been wearing, and was now ruined along with her hair and make up. The crackle of thunder boomed above their heads, but neither jumped as they stared in each others' eyes._

"_Why didn't you just let us be?! You should've let me go!" the pinkette demanded in a shaky voice. Her viridian eyes were filled with pain and sorrow; almost too much for him to bear. "I couldn't," Sasuke told her roughly, reaching out to her, but she backed away so all he could grasp was water. "Sakura I think I lo-"_

"_Stop-just stop!" She screamed again, covering her ears so she could drown out his words. "Stop trying to deny fate Sasuke! We don't live in the perfect fairy tale world where the poor girl lives happily ever after with the prince! The poor and the rich aren't meant for each other-"_

"_Don't say that-"he protested but she shook her head. "I'm sorry…but this is goodbye. I'm leaving Uchiha castle tomorrow." She told him shakily as she hurried back inside the castle, leaving him confused, numb, and ripped in two._

_Once again he had lost her, only this time, as he had feared before, he was losing her for good._

_And he didn't know why._

**Ahh intense isn't it! :) it even gave ME goosebumps as I wrote it!! Next upload will (hopefully) be ON TIME, so we can get to these intense scenes sooner! **

**Till next time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	32. Doubt

**Hey guys! I think this is late…I'm not sure why but I'm sure that this was supposed to be up earlier…but While I was writing this A/N I was smiling because I absolutely loved your guys' reactions to the preview :). kt.1z.awesome I could NOT stop laughing when I read the first part of your review. You're so animated I adore this quality :).**

**Hehe as for that preview I was actually going to show you guys a DIFFERENT preview, but that one popped into my head and seemed more dramatic sooooo it won :). **

**Also! As the story unfolds, Shikamaru AND Naruto will be showing up much more. They play ****key ****roles in this story, and they form what path the story will end on. So don't worry, this story isn't JUST about Sasuke and Sakura. There will be fluff between other characters, just stay on the edge of your seat because I guarantee that if you don't you find something jumping out at you. Just like in a 3D movie theater :) (more dramatization).**

**Special Thanks To:**

**libra89 (new reader!!)**

Chibi Warri0r (:) its okay if you can find out that somoene's been using your account recently and still have time to read my story you're purdy awesome!)

uchiha helena-hime

HinataMusaCorneliaRenee ( O.O you're only in 6th?! I guarantee that I shall add neji and tenten in later just for you :)!)

WooHooDork (we all hate Orochimaru deep down inside.)

Savannah

minniemousemom

Miss Aerith

Teiana

one2bLoved

xImCharmedx

xXSasuxSakuXx (( haha thanks that means alot to me))

Namine-sama

alayneni ( excellent predictions. and im not sure yet, we will see)

Lady Sayomi ( aweee thanks once you get involved in a story you really start to get lost in the characters and it gets easy after awhile :) you're sweet. thanks for reviewing this chapter)

Animeartist17

AnbuShadowFang (goal: put readers on edge of seat at all times)

cutebutweirdlucy18 (:) you never know what i'll do. she COULD leave or not. or leave and make a comeback...keep reading.

millerjessica130 (new reader!!)

kt.1z.awesome (I am growing to love you more and more-in that reader/author sort of way :) ))

HoshikoK (:) because I am a terrible person inside. im like a drug dealer. I need to get you hooked to prosper. hehe)

Kakashi500

sasusaku779 (my lovely fangirl reader :) you never fail to make me smile.)

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"Oi, Shikamaru…she made a mistake…it's not like she gave Hinata-chan the wrong medicine…" Naruto defended nervously. Shikamaru was rarely ever this angry and never yelled at anyone. Even Hinata looked frightened.

Shikamaru slammed his fist onto the medicine cart and knocked over a pitcher of water along with numerous bottles of medicine. "That's not the point!" he exploded making Naruto scoot father down the couch. "By being careless with Hinata's file you've violated the confidentiality code and that is something a true doctor would **never **do."

Sakura looked down at her feet. This was his way of telling her that she was nowhere near ready become a doctor, especially after breaking such a heavy rule. After all, he had every right to be upset. Orochimaru wasn't someone that was originally from Konoha and could easily be someone who was against the Hyuugas.

"You have every right to be mad at me, Shikamaru, and I understand that completely." Sakura told him as she looked up to meet his eyes. "But I'll do a background check on him to see if he'd be a threat to Hinata. As long as we keep her away from him she will be safe-"

"How can I trust you to do a background check on Orochimaru if you can't deliver the information you found on your patient without violating the confidentiality code successfully?" Shikamaru interjected coldly.

"Come on, Shikamaru. Give her another chance." Naruto told him. Without even looking into Sakura's eyes he could hear the plea lining her words. "And why should I? She's been troublesome to me enough." The pony-tail haired man demanded.

"She's trying." Gaara murmured quietly. Since he had arrived at the infirmary he hadn't said a word, so his tenor-sounding voice surprised them. With his eyes the red-headed man told Shikamaru to look at the woman; still standing at the doorway.

As he did so he saw just how much guilt and desperation filled her green-orbs, and this made him calm down slightly. '_Well it wasn't like she did it on purpose.' _He reasoned thoughtfully. Besides, no one had told her about the confidentiality code. She was a poor girl who worked at a flower shop in town. How could she have known?

"How troublesome…I'm giving you **one last chance**." He told her in a low tone but just as rough as he had been moments ago. Sakura's eyes lit up as she bowed her head. "Arigato. It won't ever happen again." She replied.

Though he didn't show it Shikamaru smirked as he turned away. Since she had met him Sakura had thought of him only as an arrogant, selfish, sexist bastard. But until a few days ago Sakura hadn't truly shown him any respect. Until now of course.

He waved his hand at her to dismiss this. "The next patient you'll be working with will be Gaara." From the corner of his eye he saw the man flinch at the sound of his name. "As you already know he has amnesia and he wants to recover his past. Think you can do it?"

'_I broke his trust once. I need to show him that everyone makes mistakes and that I CAN become a doctor…'_"I can." Sakura replied with a determined look in her eyes.

A tiny glow could be seen in his eyes before he closed them to think. "It could be troublesome for you. Working with a trauma patient and one with amnesia won't be easy."

"I'll take anything you throw at me." She responded without hesitation. Shikamaru made a noise which sounded in between a chuckle and a scoff. "Good. Do your background check on Orochimaru and come back here **immediately **with whatever you find." He replied before disappearing into a storage room.

"Right." Sakura murmured under her breath before she turned to Naruto. "Naruto, do you think you can do me a favor?"

His eyes lit up as he stood up. "Sure Sakura-chan, anything. What is it?"

"Stay here and watch Hinata for me." She asked, smiling at his reaction. The man frowned, nodded, and sat back down; hoping she would ask for his help. "As for you, Gaara, you can help me find information on Orochimaru."

Naruto looked betrayed as stood back up. "Why does he get to help you, Sakura-chan? He has amnesia!" he protested. Sakura smiled even wider. "All the more reason for him to help me. While looking through the hall of records Gaara could read something that could spark his memory. Besides," she paused to walk over to him. "You've spent a lot of time with Hinata lately. I think she'll be more comfortable around you than a complete stranger who happens to be a man."

Hinata looked up at her with a puzzled look on her face, but was calmed by the look in Sakura's eyes. She knew that this woman wouldn't leave her in the care of someone that could harm her, and though she would be left in the care of the blue-eyed man she seemed content; he didn't seem harmful at all, and seemed to enjoy talking to her.

Naruto grumbled something and crossed his arms like a toddler, making Sakura stifle a laugh as she touched his shoulder. "Please Naruto? Do it for me?" she asked him sweetly; almost making him melt in her arms. _'Got him…'_

"Fine…but only cause it's you Sakura-chan." He grumbled. But he blushed when she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a squeeze. "Arigato! We'll be back soon."

And without another word she left with the quiet red-headed man, hoping to spark his memory and perhaps know more about the creepy pale, snake-like man and his intentions.

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"Let me know if you find anything." Sakura told him when the two entered the Hall of Records and walked down the long aisle lined with filing cabinets and shelves of books.

"Okay." Gaara replied obediently, beginning to search through a filing cabinet almost immediately. _'It's better if I keep talking, it'll make things less awkward. Patients need care and compassion to make them feel comfortable.' _She reminded herself; quoting something out of a book she had read.

"I know that things seem scary, not knowing your past or where you came from, but I'm sure this place will hold some kind of answer." Sakura blabbed as she pulled out a drawer and stood on it to reach a higher cabinet and started skimming over the titles. "After all, you told me before that you remember sand from your past, so perhaps you visited or were from the Sand Country?" Sakura suggested as the man continued to stay quiet.

"Maybe." He replied from the next aisle over. _'He doesn't seem to be much of a talker anymore…he's probably just scared and nervous…I mean who gets dragged to search for anything on a creepy old man by a weird pink-headed girl with green eyes when you don't even remember your own past?' _Sakura told herself as her inner self's temper began to rise.

"Didn't you also say that you remember being face down on a forest floor, and a man walking away from you? Maybe he was someone who deserted you?" Sakura added. "It's a possibility." Gaara answered monotonously.

She didn't seemed to be getting anywhere by her one-sided conversation…maybe he would answer her questions with more than 3 words?

"Do you remember what season it was in the forest? I mean were you lying in snow or a pile of leaves…?" Sakura asked curiously. She waited patiently before he answered. "…I think spring. "He replied in an unsure tone.

That's when Sakura started to sense his frustration by trying to make him remember something about his past so soon and decided to change the subject. "Well I'm sure that if Shikamaru and I keep working with you you'll start to remember more easily." She paused to step down from the cabinet. "But how about we talk about something more positive? Are you excited to about the ball?"

"I've never been to one." He replied candidly. This made her smile. He's opening up…"Me either, I'm sure no one in the castle's been to one. When I was little I used to read about them in books." She said almost dreamily. In the book she had read a woman had met her "prince-charming" at an extravagant ball even though she wasn't of royalty and fell in love. Though other's around her tried to prevent this from happening, in the end she couldn't be kept from her true love.

"Won't you be intimidated?" Gaara asked shyly breaking her from her thoughts. "Intimidated?" Sakura repeated with confusion in her eyes.

"Aren't you associating with our lord?" the red-headed man asked as he picked up a file. "He'll be around hundreds of women in a few days."

Sakura thought about this; Gaara had a point. Before she had met him Sakura could've cared less if he was around hundreds of women, but now that she was his she wasn't sure if she would be able to handle it. Especially on her 18th birthday.

But then again, how did Gaara know?

"How…did you figure so?" she asked hesitantly. At first he didn't answer, but then he appeared with a file. "A hunch. But the look in your eyes says I'm right."

She was hesitant. Could she tell him the truth? Sasuke no longer seemed to care about who saw him with her, so why did she?

Maybe because things weren't as simple as not caring. If Yozu saw or heard about this he would probably had a heart-attack; liking her was one thing, but approving of her stealing the heart of his nephew was another.

"I'm here to be a doctor, not fall in love." Sakura said cautiously. Though she wasn't lying to Gaara she wasn't telling him the entire truth-but it was still better than lying right? "I care about him, honestly, but when I contact Tsunade-sama I'll be leaving Uchiha castle and probably Konoha altogether. It would never work…"

"Does he think that?" Gaara asked, looking her straight in the eyes. It made her so uncomfortable that she had to look away as the two sat on the floor and opened the file.

"I don't know. But that's not important right now. Let's see if we can find anything on Orochimaru." She told him eagerly as she watched him slowly open the file.

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'_I hope Sakura-chan's hungry."_ Naruto thought cheerfully as he carried a large tray of food steadily up the stairs. Shikamaru had been kind enough to let him leave long enough to bring Sakura some food, who probably hadn't eaten all day.

But as he turned a corner Naruto nearly ran into someone, who happened to be Orochimaru. When Orochimaru noticed it was the blonde-haired man he gave him a creepy smirk that made Naruto's skin crawl.

"Err sorry." He mumbled an apology as he tried to move past him, but the man stopped him. "And where are you headed with all this delicious food?" he asked creepily. Naruto did all he could to keep from shuddering 'It_ sounds like he's going to rape me…' _he thought, praying to Kami that he would watch over him.

"I thought Sakura-chan would be hungry so I'm bringing her food." Naruto replied hesitantly. "You show Sakura-san much kindness yet she doesn't give you the time of day, what a shame." Orochimaru replied

Naruto's blue eyes met Orochimaru's with confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're trying to pave your way into Sakura-san's heart yet the only thing on _her _mind is Sasuke-kun." He explained. His face scrunched up into an unreadable expression as if he were trying to keep from grinning.

"What do you mean…?" Naruto asked, furrowing his brows. "Don't tell me you've been oblivious to Sakura-san's feelings for Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked, trying to sound appalled.

Naruto shook his head. "You got it all wrong; Sakura-chan's nice to everyone. See, he let her stay here so she could become a doctor. That's why she's so nice to him. Besides…she doesn't like guys like Sasuke-teme…she told me herself."

"Is that what she told you? Well she has been lying to you this _entire time_."

Naruto looked shocked by this. "Sakura-chan wouldn't…" he asked aloud, but more to himself. "Don't look so shocked, Naruto, but of course I can't _blame _you; you expected so much from Sakura-san. But then again you also expected the best out of your best friend, Sasuke-kun."

"Sasuke-teme…?"

"Aah, he knew of your feelings for Sakura-san _all along_ yet instead of confronting you about this he ignored it and stole her away; stole her heart." Orochimaru explained coaxingly.

Naruto looked at the man with a puzzled and disbelieving expression as he continued. "She is special; the first woman to not fall to her feet for him in fact. And when he noticed that you had eyes for her he decided to charm her, and she's fallen for his lies."

Naruto fell silent and lowered his head, as if to suppress the confused emotions brewing in the depths of his heart. He didn't appear to be lying, but it didn't sound like Sasuke. But Sakura WAS special. She was the only woman anyone had come across that despised his existence; all men's existence…but would Sasuke really do that to him, his best friend?

Orochimaru smirked as he continued to coax him into believing him. "I believe he planned this from the beginning. He didn't think you would be mad at him for stealing the heart of the girl that didn't give Sasuke-kun the time of day…that despised rich men like him correct? You are his best friend after all and he hoped you would be happy for him."

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. "You're lying! They aren't like that! Sasuke's a bastard but he isn't a lousy friend! He wouldn't do that to me…"

"You can choose to believe me if you want, Naruto, but I am speaking the truth. _I saw them with my own eyes_. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura have been having affairs behind your back, behind everyone's back."

Without another word Naruto turned and walked past him. That's when Orochimaru's pale face brightened up evilly. _'Naruto is starting to doubt Sakura and feel betrayed by Sasuke-kun…All according to plan….'_

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"Uchiha-sama, where do you think the ball should take place? It has been predicted that it will continue to rain for the next few days or so, so the courtyard is out of the question." explaine one of the guards. Once again Sasuke found himself in the conference room, only more chairs and another long table had been pulled out. Several guards and servants who had volunteered to help out in recruiting more people, getting the supplies, and researching and brainstorming ideas for the ball.

Well that was a no-brainer, but Yozu had threatened to dethrone him if he didn't put his 2 cents in and supervise the planning of the ball. "The largest part of the castle." Sasuke replied monotonously.

"You mean the great hall? What a marvelous idea!" Praised one of the elders who agreed to help as well. The great hall was more like the dining hall for all the staff. The door to the dining hall was across from the entrance to the castle since the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor were placed on the sides of the door.

"What about the guest list Uchiha-sama? How many guest should we allow in the castle?" asked a servant. All eyes were on Sasuke, and it made him uncomfortable. Sasuke folded his hands in front of him and closed his eyes. After a slight paused he replied, "It depends on how many countries attended the meeting earlier."

"Well…all of them attended including the neighboring countries inside the larger ones. Replied the elder from before. Sasuke opened his eyes. "Expect more than 500 guests including our staff and spectators sneaking into the large crowds."

"But will you allow unwanted guest, Uchiha-sama?"

Of course he wouldn't. In fact, everyone who was attending the ball, excluding his staff was "unwelcome" but unfortunately, he had no say in this. "Until they become a problem."

"What about security?"

"No need. But the guards will take care of it if it's required." Sasuke replied dully. He would much rather be spending his time with Sakura. This wasn't even his idea in the first place, but I guess the beat hours of paperwork…

"You're confident everything will go as planned, Uchiha-sama?" Saito asked, appearing between two elders. He had been so quiet that the attention turned to him. "You doubt this?" Sasuke asked, trying not to sound disgusted with him. But the look in the man's eyes made him uneasy.

"Of course not, Uchiha-sama. You are our lord, and we must trust that your judgment is right." He replied. Sasuke's obsidian eyes turned into small slits as he eyed him suspiciously. Since when was he so easy-going? Normally by this point he was red like a tomato and passionately disagreeing.

Sasuke turned to look at Kaito who had also been silent and nodded slightly. He noticed it too.

From then on the two silently agreed to watch this man very closely.

Then one of the elder's looked around and noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Orochimaru? Since this was his idea it's crucial that he'd be here. This is extremely unprofessional."

"Please excuse my tardiness, Yutaka-san. I had some errands to run upstairs." Orochimaru slithered as he sat down in his seat, startling the man he would be sitting next to.

"We're glad you could finally join us. Now that you're here we've decided that the ball will take place in the great hall, which is the largest part of the castle. We've also decided that unwanted guests in Konoha are welcome until they become a nuisance. Konoha IS a peaceful city after all." Yutaka responded dully and without looking up from the piece of parchment in front of him.

"Excellent. It appears that everything is going according to plan." Orochimaru replied with a pleased expression. Everyone nodded or smiled around him, but Sasuke's expression didn't change. There was something about Orochimaru that made him give off a suspicious air.

And he didn't like it at all. _'I'll have Kaito watch him closely too.' _Sasuke thought, reminding to tell Kaito about his suspicions later.

"If you don't mind me saying this, Uchiha-sama, but may I suggest that we do all the major planning today, get the suits and attire tomorrow along with the rest of the decorations tomorrow, set everything up while we go, and on the morning of the ball get the last minute adjustments in." Orochimaru suggested, trying to sound humble. Sasuke didn't buy it.

"Hn. Fine." Sasuke replied flatly. The elder's looked impressed. "Though we will be busy I believe that we just might be able to pull this off-"

Then, Yoroichi and Fuuyuki appeared at the door. "Sorry to interrupt such heavy planning, but I have a message for Uchiha-sama."

"Fine. Let's hear it." Sasuke responded. His expression didn't change as the two walked over to him.

"On the night of the ball, Sakura-san turns 18." Yoroichi told him quietly. "Please take this into consideration while you plan, Uchiha-sama." Fuuyuki added.

"Aah. Arigato." The raven-haired man replied. After the two had bowed and left the room Sasuke's thoughts began to race. He had just remembered that Sakura had told him once before that her birthday was sometime this month, but it had slipped his mind somehow…

Now how was he supposed to focus on anything now?

"Are we allowed to know the news, Uchiha-sama?" One of the elder's asked him hesitantly. Everyone knew that Sasuke was private about his business. After threatening anyone who asked him about anything private, no one, except the Yozu, Naruto and Kaito could ask anything confidential about him.

After a pause Sasuke decided to speak. "Aah. Sakura's birthday is coming up."

Kaito's face lit up. "How excellent! When is her 18th?" he asked. Sasuke paused again before replying. "The same night of the ball."

Then everyone quieted, and as the room became silent two of the people in the conference room smirked evilly. _'This shall be interesting…' _one of them thought, hiding his slithery smirk behind his hands.

'_What will the Uchiha do? Chose his throne or the heart of the woman he cares about?' _the other thought as he mouth twitched into a smirk. Everyone knew that Sakura held a special place in the Uchiha's part, and planning the ball while taking her birthday into consideration would be troublesome even for the lord…

What would he do?

**TBC…**

**Gosh I have NO clue how long this took to write…there's so much intensity coming up in the next few chapters that I'm not sure how to fill in the gaps along the way….There's only one (or two…depending what seems to throw itself in next) before the real drama begins.**

**I hope you're ready for it, because I'm not even sure how you guys will react…it could make you laugh, cry, scream or even throw your chair at the monitor… but whatever happens please stick by me until the end. I promise that the suspense won't KILL you, but have a near-death effect on you :)**

**Till Next Time! (I won't kill you guys with another preview…just yet…)**

**xxasukachanxx**


	33. Remember

**This is actually sort of late. Since There's A LOT of drama coming up in the next 3 chapters this chapter's going to be ****a little ****longer. **** (cheers to the readers who love getting what they want).**

**Also I've finally hit over the 500 mark!! A new record for me !! All thanks to my amazing new and consistent readers. I also have realized I love reading the long reviews from people. It makes me feel like my stories and I are worth something if they dedicate their time to leave me such a long comment :). ALSO! DON'T SKIP THIS AUTHOR NOTE/SPECIAL THANKS!! EVERY COMMENT BY YOUR NAME HOLDS IMPORTANT INFO!! (well most of them…)**

**Special Thanks To:**

**alayneni- hehe. Naruto-kun's dense...ness only deepens the plot my darling. Don't worry **

**Itachibabe26- I think you're a new reader...but anyway thanks for clicking on this story please stay by me until the end I guarantee I'll make it worth your while .!!**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- Ahh my young youthful (hehe) reader :). You make me smile. I'm glad I reach bunches of age groups. But then again we're all...youthful (im beginning to love that word...)inside. ALSO!! you also saved me the trouble of finding the names of those two sound nin they killed lol . So you're my reader of the chapter! And it's o tay I'd rather my readers get cranky than throw a chair or try and hunt me down O.o.**

**blue-silver light- Well I'm glad you stopped by and checked in :). Hehe again my goal: to nearly kill my readers...with suspense.**

**Namine-sama- haha. I love seeing your name pop up on my screen . (random)**

**AnbuShadowFang- hehe Orochimaru being the snake that he is all part of my elaborate scheme to draw you guys in. **

**xXSasuxSakuXx- why thank you calling me awesome...and using EMPHASIS on it too :). As you said...I'm cool...like a small blue thing dressed in white that used to be very popular back in the day hehe.**

**ChibiWarri0r- be patient my chibi warrior :). -pats head- your patience will be awarded with more drama than you could ever imagine as everything starts to fall into place. Right now is sort of the intervention. You know like the top of the a roller coaster before you shoot down screaming your head off. AHH I give you another pat -pats head again- i love the end of your review. It made me smile :)**

**Xx Out of Your League xX- heh. I was beginning to wonder when someone would ask why in the HELL is this so damn long…heh. Because I get lost in my writing so it's hard for me to stop (good for you guys) once I do, and usually I end it when the pages get to about 10-11. My passion is writing, so it's not too hard for me to have lengthy chapters. Unless you want me to shorten it…**

**Animeartist17- you shall see heheh...heheheh -evil laugher-. **

**life-is-a-bitch- new reader! I love your screenname. It's very true :) and I'm actually not sure at this point. Depends on when the characters decide to end it. Because I'm a terrible person I'm not going to tell you anymore :D**

**cutebutwierdlucy- why thank you! btw random question but is your name...really...lucy O.o...it's been bugging me since you first reviewed haha. I've noticed that everyone has unique names and yours definitely stands out to me.And I predict that Sasuke will try to spend time with Sakura, but things will start to turn for the worst…-evil smirk-**

**also, since there's going to be a lot of drama I'm not sure if you guys can take fluff along with that. (your eyes might blow out. I've seen it happen. not really.)**

**xImCharmedx- You are entitled to think as you wish...but I shall keep throwing things at you. Like walking in the alleyways of Italy shopping nonchalantly when all of a sudden a person appears and throws a tomato...at your face. then runs. only to appear once more :D with potatos...hehe :) (random anology)**

**HoshikoK- oh yes :) I try very hard to be terrible. heh. Only the best drugs (that get you hooked but don't hurt you) for my amazing readers :D**

**sasusaku779- hehe you crack me up :D. and you flatter me. I'm glad that my story is important enough for you to check your emails . But I'm terrible. so you shall get discouraged alot :D. also...if you're emotional now...hehehe just wait -spoiler-**

**Miss Aerith- oh but just when you're expecting that tomato to be thrown at you by some annoying random person as you turn that corner in Italy (random anology) haha! fooled you :).**

**kt.1z.awesome- you are seriously one of my favorite readers :). You leave me the longest comments ever and they always make me laugh. I guarantee that there will be time skips in these...but it might actually prolong the ending...or not give you one...hehe...(you're like my dogs and I'm the mean owner. I shall offer you a steak and just as you try and grab it-like the ending- I shall take it away from you and make you beg for it! :D!)**

**Kakashi500**

**Teiana- so I recently read an M rated fic. Some heavy shyyyt there...may I ask what did you mean by member O.o...because if it's what my sick mind is thinking of I'm 100 female sooooo...**

**i love Hershey- **

**minniemousemom**

**libra89**

**Savannah- I shall add fluff more fluff…later though. The story doesn't completely revolve around SasuxSaku don't worry **

**Crispy geco-chan- new reader!!**

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"Will Haruno-san's birthday stand in the way of the planning of the ball, Uchiha-sama?" asked one of the elder's hesitantly. The rest of the room looked at him silently. This man had admirable courage to ask this when Sasuke had such a serious look on his face.

After a long pause Sasuke spoke up. "No." he replied quietly. Relief spread through the room quickly with this answer, but only Kaito could tell that Sasuke hadn't stopped thinking about it. In fact, this was most likely a lie.

"What a noble thing for you to do, Uchiha-sama." Yutaka told him with a pleased expression. "You are beginning to think more like a lord than an ordinary teenager. If Yozu-sama were present at this meeting he would be very proud."

"…Aah." Sasuke replied from behind his hands, trying to return to his stoic expression. Because they only had 3 days to plan for the ball he wouldn't be able to talk to Sakura much-if any- which would end up hurting her. It was her 18th birthday after all, and it would most likely be the first time in awhile that she'd spend it without the Yamanka's.

But Kaito wasn't the only one noticing Sasuke's mental struggle over this decision. "But if our lord isn't happy, how can we continue the planning of the ball?" Orochimaru asked slimily, getting everyone's attention.

Sasuke frowned as he stared at the man silently. What was he trying to do?

"Are you implying that we discontinue the planning of the ball, Orochimaru-san?" Yutaka asked in bewilderment. The man shook his head with an evil grin. "Of _course _not, Yutaka-san. I'm merely proposing that we add Sakura-san's turning of age into the festivities."

Saito looked at him in astonishment. Why would he want to celebrate Sakura's birthday? It was his idea to try and distance the girl from Sasuke…_Orochimaru-sama, what are you planning? _

"Orochimaru-sama are you sure this won't take time away from the ball?" he asked hesitantly making Kaito lifted an eyebrow at Saito. His expression and defiance to adding Sakura into the ball made the two look extremely suspicious.

Orochimaru gave him a dangerous look that only he could read before he spoke. "That decision is not up to me, but to Sasuke-kun."

'_That look wasn't an ordinary one…they have some type of connection…Was Orochimaru in on the plot to have Sakura-san distance herself from Sasuke after all? I'll need to watch him more closely than I predicted…' _Kaito thought as the attention turned back onto Sasuke. "What would you like to do, Uchiha-sama? Will you have Sakura's birthday merged into the planning of the ball?"

He was hesitant for a minute. Of course if he wasn't in front of the elders, Saito, and Orochimaru Sasuke would've said "hell yes", but to keep a front, he had to stay calm and not show the slightest bit of interest in the temptation used as bait to phase him.

"Aah." Sasuke responded plainly. "And you're certain you can juggle both without neglecting your duty as lord AND taking care of your guest's needs?" Yutaka asked, uncertain as well. Sasuke thought for a minute. Though Sasuke hadn't said much to Yutaka since he was mutual between Yozu and Sasuke's disagreements, but this was more like a silent warning to him. If he screwed this up, it could have serious consequences in the end.

'_Might as well take the risk.' _Sasuke thought. "Aah."

"Though you aren't a man of words that was rather well said." Said another elder, earning several nods from the Council. Sasuke smirked inwardly. He was regaining the approval of the Council

But as he met Orochimaru's golden eyes he realized that the look in them was devilish and a wave of uncertainty washed over him. Was this what he had wanted?

"Excellent, Sasuke-kun. I look forward to see if you can pull this off." Orochimaru replied. Sasuke's eyes turned into small slits as he eyed him. _'I look forward to see if you can pull this off.' _ It sounded like an innocent phrase, but Sasuke knew better. Orochimaru had other intentions.

"Hn." Sasuke answered, and they continued with their meeting.

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Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Shikamaru talked with Hinata. "Sorry you had to see my outburst earlier." He told her with a hard expression. Though he thought women were troublesome, Hinata seemed different above the rest. She didn't ignore him when he vented, nor did she look uninterested when he talked to her.

She became the sole person Shikamaru could talk to. "I overacted, and I probably scared you." But his expression softened when she shook her head and smiled at him; as if understanding why he had gotten so mad.

"I'm glad you're so understanding." He paused to look in her eyes. "All this time I believe that the Hyuuga's were a proud, uptight clan, but if the clan has such a kind heiress, the other royal families have hope."

Hinata touched his shoulder with a smile and mouthed the word "Arigato" which made him nod. "Don't thank me, it's the truth. Besides, the only thing I can do for you is talk to you-"

But his voice trailed off when Naruto came in, looking slightly distraught. "What happened?" Shikamaru asked almost immediately. Naruto looked up to meet the man's eyes and remembered both his meeting with Orochimaru and then with Sakura.

"_How sweet of you, Naruto!" Sakura had praised when he appeared with food. Hungrily she grabbed a sandwich from the tray and smiled at him. "I've been so caught up in my research that I completely forgot about food."_

"_Ne, Sakura-chan, can…I ask you something?" Naruto asked quietly as he remembered what Orochimaru had said earlier. Could Sakura really be dating Sasuke even though she had told him she wasn't interested in men like him? And could Sasuke really date Sakura without telling him, his best friend first?_

"_Sure, what is it?" Sakura asked lightly as the two sat down on a nearby table. Naruto hesitated as he sat the tray down. "Well…err…I…" but he choked when he saw Sakura tilt her head and lean closer to him, putting the back of her hand on his forehead. _

"_Are you sick? You look a little warm." She told him with concern. "You've been overexerting yourself, haven't you?"_

_Naruto shook his head violently. "I-I-I'm fine, really Sakura-chan!"_

_She took her hand away from his face. "Oh…well then, what is it?" Sakura asked curiously. The blonde lowered his head, unable to look at the beautiful woman before him. "How do you feel about Sasuke-teme?" he asked quietly._

"_What do you mean, Naruto?"_

"_Well…do you like him?"_

_Sakura made an alarmed noise. 'Shit! He's the 2__nd__ person to ask me that today!' Sakura thought wildly as she answered him. "W-What! What made you think that?"_

_Naruto hesitated. Could he tell Sakura that he had such a conversation with Orochimaru? Probably not without looking like an ass…"Well…you dropped the file on Hinata yesterday; you could've been with him at the time-"_

'_I'm sorry Naruto…' Sakura thought guiltily as she forced a laugh. "You already know why I'm here, Naruto, and it isn't Sasuke." She told him confidently, but with a heavy heart. _

_The blue-eyed man's expression softened as she said this to him. He stayed silent, as if urging her to explain more. "You know that once I contact Tsunade-sama I'll have to leave Uchiha Castle and Konoha, ne?" Sakura asked_

"_Y-Yeah, but-"_

"_Then why would I risk having a relationship with Sasuke if I knew this?" Sakura asked him, wondering this herself. Naruto fell silent, feeling stupid for doubting her. But if she was telling the truth why would Orochimaru do this intentionally? Something didn't seem to add up…_

"_Sorry, Sakura-chan."_

_The pinkette touched his shoulder softly and shook her head. "Don't be. You aren't the only person to ask me this anyway."_

"Oi, Naruto." Shikamaru asked, snapping his fingers in front of his face continuously. The blonde came back to reality and shook his head. "Nothing, just thinking." He replied flatly.

Sakura didn't appear to be lying, but if she wasn't what motive would Orochimaru have in having him believe that she was?

"Alright. Tend to Hinata until Sakura comes back with Ga-"but as the pony-tail haired man spoke Sakura came in with an arm draped around the red-headed man who was clutching his head and wincing as if he were in pain.

"Shikamaru!" Sakura cried as the men rushed over to them and draped his arms around their shoulders and placed him in one of the infirmary rooms. "What happened?" Shikamaru asked, concern lining his voice but his features stayed calm as he looked down at the man, who was still wincing.

"_Sakura-chan!" called someone from the entrance of the Hall of Records just as the two were about to read the file linked to Orochimaru._

_Sakura let out a sigh and an expression that tried to remain calm. She turned to look at Gaara and told him to read the file without her._

_But as Gaara picked up the file_ _memories started to flood back into his mind at an alarming rate, and as he did he let out a blood-curdling scream._

"Forest…a man…talking to me about something…." Gaara told them in chopped sentences as he tried to remember with a pained expression.

"_I won't do it." Gaara told him as dirt filled his mouth. A man was forcing Gaara's head into the dirt with immense strength, causing the man to lose consciousness for a split second. The amount of compression on Gaara's skull that the man was inflicting on him was threatening to crush his skull entirely._

_But what had he done to anger this man so?_

"He's…mad…" Gaara added trying to fight back the pain and the thoughts.

"_You were __**nothing **__without me, NO ONE wanted you until I came along and you DARE disobey me, your master?!" spat the man above him, kicking his limp body and making him roll a few feet away from him. _

"_I can't hurt her, it's wrong…" He gasped as the man he called master crushed his foot down on Gaara's ribs who choked below him as massive amounts of pain erupted through his body. "After all the lives you have taken you __**dare **__preach to me what is__** right or wrong?!**__" he demanded._

"_Trash! You are nothing!" the man snarled at him as he kicked him once more, making him roll back onto his stomach. _

_As he lost consciousness the man whispered in his ear as he lifted him by his hair, seeing the crimson trickle down the side of his forehead to his chin from his skull- nearly crushed moments ago- and his mouth which was from having his ribs crushed so mercilessly_

"_**You are useless, incompetent. I have no use for you anymore." **__The man spat at him. He covered his face, and as he did from his closed eyelids Gaara saw a bright flash of light and felt a sharp pain emit through not his skull but his own brain and produced a blood curdling scream. The last thing he saw was the man walking away from him before he fell into a painful unconscious state._

"You remembered something about your past?" Sakura asked as she bent down beside him and grabbed his hand to keep himself from digging his nails into his palms.

She winced with pain when she realized just how incredibly strong his grip was. Then she saw him nod from the corner of her eye.

"He took…my memories…" Gaara murmured almost painfully. He no longer had his eyes opened, as if the thought were too painful to speak of anymore. This shocked the three crowding around him.

'_Someone TOOK his memories? How is that possible?!' _Sakura thought wildly as she stared at the man who had limply let his hand fall, releasing her hand from his grasp. One he did this she realized he had fallen unconscious from remembering such an event.

No words could be said about this ordeal. In fact, no one COULD say anything about it. The red-headed man was too much in shock to fully cooperate with any of them, and had fallen unconscious almost as quickly as he had arrived leaning on Sakura's shoulder for support.

"We'll have to give him some time." Sakura announced to the two men now standing behind her. Shikamaru nodded reluctantly. "It's troublesome, but it's all we can do for the time being."

The pink-haired woman ran a hand through her long pink hair before she looked around and realized Hinata wasn't in the room, and this made her eyes widen with fear.

"Where's Hinata?!" She demanded, making the men realize her absence as well.

The three ran out of the room and nearly into her. Hinata was frozen outside the door; her eyes wide with great fear. The midnight-haired girl had heard everything. "…Hinata…are you alright?" Sakura asked with concern as she grabbed her forearms with her hands before the girl collapsed into her arms.

The men took her out of Sakura's arms and carried into the room where Gaara was, but Sakura stayed where she was. Why had Hinata reacted the way she did to Gaara regaining part of his memory back? Were their cases somehow connected?

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, peeking his head outside of the room and looking at her curiously. She broke out of her thoughts and turned to look at the cobalt-eyed man staring at her innocently.

"Right." She replied and walked back into the room.

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Meanwhile in the hall of records:

Though there didn't seem to be a person in sight, on the table where the file that Gaara and Sakura had found laid open. Then, creepily, the upper half of a spectacled man emerged from the wall and noticed the file with a small, evil chuckle

'_I'm sure master will be want this in his possession…he will be pleased with me infiltrating the castle without even his knowledge.'_ The man thought as he grabbed the file and disappeared back into the wall as quickly as he had come.

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"Nothing seems to add up anymore." Sakura thought in exasperation. She held her head with her hands and clutched clumps of pink in her hands as she looked down frustratingly.

Nor Shikamaru or Naruto spoke as she continued. "I leave Gaara for a few minutes to talk to Naruto and when I come back he's on his knees, holding the table with a file he found and shaking…"

"What was the file about?" Shikamaru asked calmly, hoping he could figure out another missing piece to Gaara's case. Sakura shrugged her shoulders hopelessly. "He didn't say much but he said that it could be something related to Orochimaru." She paused to shudder. "He looked like he was in uncontrollable pain, screaming his head off like that…"

"Is the file still on the table?" Shikamaru asked, now interested in this mysterious file. If the file had brought back an important memory to Gaara perhaps the two were connected?

Sakura turned to look at him with a puzzled expression. "Probably. I didn't even bother looking at it…why?"

"Show me where it is." Shikamaru responded quickly as he stood up. A strange glow in his eyes made Sakura obey. Did Shikamaru figure out something?

Naruto once again was left to watch the two unconscious patients as the two rushed out of the room and to the Hall of records.

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When the two entered the large room withholding centuries and centuries of knowledge they hurried over to the table where the file was.

Or should've been.

Sakura looked all around the possible spots, hoping to find any possible trace of the missing file. Her efforts turned out to be in vain as she sighed and clutched the sides of the tables angrily.

But as she did this her fingers brushed over deep indents in the wood. And they were fresh. _'Gaara must have made these.'_ The thought of Gaara endearing unimaginable pain as he remembered a violent memory made Sakura's heart ache with sorrow.

Then Shikamaru noticed that things seemed to neat; nothing was out of place, as if novbody had been there at all. "Something's wrong here." He murmured as he ran a hand along the table.

The rose-color haired woman looked up at him with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?"

"The file didn't vanish. It was stolen." He replied confidently. The sureness in his eyes made Sakura slightly intimidated to ask his reason behind this. Luckily, he did for her. "The thief obviously wanted the table to appear as if as if nothing were touched." Then he paused to stare at the wall intensely. "But they _were _touched. Things are too neat, too perfectly in place. Whoever took the file is good with their hands, a perfectionist."

Innocent green eyes looked up at him with new eyes. Sasuke had been right, Shikamaru was incredibly intelligent. She wondered why he hadn't become an investigator or a doctor himself. After all, if she had gone alone to retrieve the file she would have thought it had simply vanished.

"What do we do now?" Sakura asked him, nodding quietly. Shikamaru let out an exhausted breath before closing his eyes. "Nothing. But what we _can _we do is go back to the infirmary and hopefully find some answers." He replied, but the fact that the file had been stolen in the first place troubled him. As the two walked back to the infirmary and exited the room.

'_He must be clever if the elders hired him. No one should have known about the search Gaara and Sakura were to do on Orochimaru, and if someone DID find out he wouldn't try and incriminate himself…so how could someone have stolen it?.'_

Unless…

'_Someone also linked to Orochimaru was sent to observe us; just in case someone came too close in finding out something they shouldn't know…But if that's true than he IS a criminal…but that also could mean we're being watched…maybe Gaara is the one who was sent to watch us, but is playing the part…' _Then Shikamaru shook his head, which Sakura noticed, as he shook this notion out of his head. _'No one could fake the pain on his face…but I can't deny the link between them…'_

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked curiously. She slowed her step down and came to a stop at the top of the stairs leading to the first floor. Realizing that he had been extremely quiet and almost screaming his thoughts out to her Shikamaru was brought out of his thoughts.

"It's troublesome to explain." He replied, hoping to hear the end of her talking so he could get back to sorting his thoughts and notions. But of course, as troublesomely curious as she was, Sakura refused to be silenced.

"Try me." She replied. Her eyes sparkled with a gleam of fascination that seemed to match his own when something really got him to use his intellect. He watched her close her eyes as and sit down on the stairs.

"By looking at you I can tell that you think Gaara is the one behind the missing file," she paused to look at him. "But you dismissed this assumption because you saw the look of pain on his face. It was real, genuine pain, not something you can fake."

Shikamaru seemed impressed. Had she really concluded this by just his facial expressions?

She turned to look at him with her wide, innocent jade orbs and smiled almost sadly. "I don't want to believe it, but because Gaara acted the way he did when he picked up the file there's no doubt that there's a link between them. Maybe Gaara had been so reluctant to see you and try and recover his memories because subconsciously he knew he had done things in his life that could be regrettable…" Then she stood up and descended down the stairs. "Only we don't have enough information to conclude anything yet, so it's better if we find out through him."

A smirk formed at the lips of the pony-tailed man. When they reached the bottom of the stairs Shikamaru walked in front of her and touched her shoulder, almost proudly. "There's more to you behind those troublesome green eyes of yours isn't there?" he asked in a low voice.

Sakura looked up at him, almost frozen. With such a pleased smirk on his face Shikamaru almost looked…_attractive_. And at the thought of this Sakura's cheeks tinged with a rosy color. But she turned her head nonchalantly to hide her bluff and scoffed. Stuffed a clump of pink hair behind her ear she gave a teasing smirk. "More than you know, but too 'troublesome' to tell." She replied before pushing past him and down the hall.

'_Too troublesome to tell, eh?' _He thought before following her back to the infirmary.

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When the meeting with the elders and servants to plan the upcoming ball Kaito and Sasuke went back to Sasuke's office.

"You're troubled that Haruno-san's birthday is the same night of the ball, ne Sasuke?" asked Kaito in a raspy voice as he looked at the young look placed on the window sill of the window and looking down at the tiny city below.

Patiently he waited for an answer before Sasuke spoke, "Aah."

The man smiled as he took a seat on Sasuke's desk. "You're not only troubled, but you're confused. "

Sasuke didn't answer as his obsidian eyes continued to look down at Konoha and the spot where he had met the beautiful "flower" that had saved him from dangerously obsessed fan girls. It was true that Sasuke was confused by these feelings suddenly submerging somewhere deep within him.

"You're afraid of Haruno-san's reaction when she sees you surrounded by hoards of beautiful women. You're afraid that because of this you won't be able to spend time with her…on her birthday of all days. Am I right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and turned his mouth upward, almost into a smile. Kaito was just that good. Without saying more than one word to him the old man had already brought out his fears in the open.

"Aah. You are." The raven-haired man replied, still not looking at the man who smiled. "But this is normal."

This time he looked at the old man's wrinkled face. "Normal?" his mouth repeated. Onyx eyes watched a white wispy head nod with wisdom. "Since you aren't used to truly caring for someone else's feelings besides your own these emotions and concerns that have never surfaced before are overwhelming you."

His eyes widened as he looked at the man. Were his fears really that simple to figure out? At times like these, hearing what his mixed feelings meant were comforting…how could he face the world and the elders without this all-knowing man by his side?

"I assure you, Sasuke, that if Haruno-san is special enough to open the doors to your heart than she is important enough to make time for. You must look past the beautiful women and show that she truly is the most special among all women."

But as Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, Kaito interrupted him. "But, at the same time you mustn't ignore your duties as lord. It will be difficult, but I trust that you shall make it through. After all, you have someone by your side."

'_Someone by my side…' _he thought to himself as he looked down at the floor. Kaito was right. He _did _have someone by his side. Someone who had the ability to make him experience emotions he had never dreamed of existing. The only person that both pained him and contented him, but most of all the _only _one who had truly opened his eyes and so-called heart-of-ice.

"I want…to get her something special…" Sasuke mumbled embarrassingly, now discovering just how fascinating the floor was. Though the raven-haired lord couldn't see his caretaker's face he could tell that he was beaming at him.

"Tomorrow you have to get fitted for your formal attire, why not, while you're there, get something that Haruno-san will be able to cherish?" Kaito suggested. It was a good idea, but the sad realization that Sasuke didn't know Sakura at all came crashing down on him.

"I don't know what to get her." He admitted quietly, but the cheeriness in Kaito's voice didn't fade. I have faith in you, Sasuke. When you see the perfect gift you'll know what to get her."

"Hn." Sasuke responded, hoping that the man was right.

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Meanwhile back in the infirmary Naruto watched Hinata jerk her head back and forth. The expression she wore on her pretty face made him frown. She was having a nightmare.

"_P-Please!! Why are you doing this?!" She choked as a strong hand wrapped around her neck to keep the poor girl from screaming for help._

_Wearing an expressionless face he answered her. "I'm entitled to." He replied. Hinata struggled to lean her head up and stare up at him, unable to open both eyes. She was beginning to lose consciousness. _

"_By…hurting other people..? D-Don't you know what's right or wrong…?" she asked below him. The look in her lavender eyes made the man look away and slightly loosen his grip. "I-I…"_

, Hinata felt her body being shook by someone and continuously calling her name. "…chan…Hina…chan…ne Hinata-chan!" Naruto called.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open before widening at how close the blonde's face was from hers. A blush shot through her face as she nearly shot off the bed with wide eyes. When Naruto noticed that her movement, his expression gentled and a bright smile appeared.

"I was starting to get worried Hinata-chan! You looked like you were having a real bad nightmare." But the girl didn't answer as she looked down at the navy-blue comforter. If only it _were _actually a nightmare…

Then, Naruto touched her shoulder with a gentle grip. It was so tender Hinata stiffened as if she were frozen. "If you keep letting Shikamaru and Sakura-chan help you, I'm sure we can help you get over your shock and get you back to your kingdom."

Hinata studied his face as her face started to burn scarlet again. The sureness in his grin and voice comforted her rapid heartbeat and the irresolute emotions submerging again. She gave a small smile and covered his hand with hers, as if trying to give thanks.

And for a split second cobalt-eyes met soft lavender ones. But their moment was ruined when Shikamaru and Sakura walked in.

"Sakura-chan! Did you find whatever you were looking for?" he exclaimed, getting up and walking over to her. Hinata gave a silent sigh before looking onto the three.

Sakura shook her head, turning to look at the red-headed man who was still out cold. "The file that Gaara and I found was gone."

Naruto looked at them wildly. If he had been with Sakura when they went to retrieve the file that had taken hours to search for and found that it was missing he would have been p-i-s-s-e-d. But instead, the two looked calm and collected.

"You aren't mad? Sugoi Sakura-chan… " Naruto blurted out as he lowered his head but looked up at her with his deep blue eyes. This look seemed almost childlike, and for a split second Sakura imagined him as a little kid.

Unable to hide her smile she shook her head. "Iie, I'm not mad. With Shikamaru's help we've made some pretty good assumptions."

Her eyes wandered over to Hinata lilac-colored ones and noticed the distress beneath them. Did she have another nightmare? _'I wish I could do more to help her…' _she thought guiltily. Watching the girl with long midnight dark hair look back at her comforter. Then she realized just how insensitive she had been towards her.

Besides the first couple of days she arrived at Uchiha Castle Sakura had completely neglected the emotionally unstable mute girl. And the only thing on her mind was Sasuke, whom she swore to Ino that she would never fall for. Now, instead of worrying about the poor girl's safety, Gaara had walked in.

"Ne, Shikamaru, Naruto…do you think I can talk to Hinata?" Sakura asked, walking over to the girl and sitting down on the stool beside her. "Sure Sakura-cha-"

"Err…alone?" she added. Her large jade eyes held a certain sad air to them that confused Naruto as Shikamaru dragged him away and shut the door behind them. Puzzled by her actions Hinata looked up at the unusually beautiful woman beside her.

Sakura gave her a forced warm smile. "I haven't exactly been paying much attention to you, have I…Hinata?" she asked. When the girl's expression didn't change she looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry…that I can't do more to help you." She paused to fidget a little. "I want to become a doctor, but I can't even talk to you a little let alone get your voice back."

From the corner of her eye she watched her head shake as if denying it. But sadly, Sakura looked up at her. "You don't have to be polite. You were possibly raped, but and instead of keeping you close to me I've been everywhere but the infirmary and around you…and I leave Shikamaru or Naruto to take care of you when you're the reason why I'm here in the first place…" she mumbled, biting her lip. "And now I'm paying attention to everything but you. Including Gaara."

Hinata looked over at the unconscious man lying in the bed across from her. "But…I want you to know, that's going to change." Hinata heard her pause and subconsciously made her look at the pink-haired girl's determined eyes.

"Shikamaru really opened my eyes today. He's so dedicated to taking care of the sick or wounded…I haven't even seen him around the castle except for the ceremonies…I want to be like that; devoted."

A creamy hand grabbed Hinata's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I promise I'll make you better, Hinata. You deserve it…you deserve to have your voice."

Then, the heiress looked at her and mouthed the word "Arigato" which made her smile. She was trying to talk…she was trying.

"Ne, Hinata. I'm going to tell you just what I've been doing all this time." She said this with a little gleam in her eye. "As you heard earlier Gaara has amnesia. Sort of like you, only he's forgotten his memory completely. See, his case is a little unusual. He's been _living_ knowing this and didn't seek any help for it. When he escorted me down here a couple days ago he told me that he didn't want to remember who he was before, in fear that he could've done something regrettable."

Hinata seemed to be listening intently as she continued. "But he remembers bits and pieces of his memory. He remembers sand, so perhaps he was from the sand village…another piece was him being face down in a forest, and a man with long dark hair walking away from him…it doesn't make much sense, but this man was deserting him, calling him worthless-"but Sakura's voice trailed off when Hinata began to shake.

"Hinata? Hinata??" Sakura called. But when the violent shaking didn't stop and her pupils began to dilate she began to scream it, trying to shake her out of it. Then, suddenly she stopped, and slowly turned her head to look at Sakura, then mouthed 4 small words before collapsing.

_You're…all…in…danger…_

**TBC…**

**So the ending was a little unexpected. Even for me. I wasn't exactly planning an ending like this, but it's been so hard for me to fill in the gaps to the drama coming up I don't know what to do without giving you guys too much unintentionally. But this **_**definitely**_ **gave you guys a little to work with and try to piece together. I look forward to reading your responses to this :) so please ****please ****review and I'll try my best to get the next chapter up! I'll try to make it lengthy for you guys so the suspense doesn't kill you before the real killing begins (wow I sound deranged).The drama is only beginning. So please stick by me, I guarantee you'll regret it if you don't :).**

**Till Next Time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	34. Confirmed Deceit

**Hey guys I actually made this a little over 4 pages longer than what I intended :) so it's a **_**tiny **_**bit later than what I expected. ****This chapter and the following one RIGHT before the serious drama begins are extremely crucial to the plot so pay attention, k k? **

**ALSO! I recently read a story called Betrayal (SasuxSaku, T rated. Complete, 19 chapters.) The story was entirely beautiful and heart breaking, and I enjoyed it but I was definitely screaming at the end. Honestly, throughout the entire story I was RUN OFF A CLIFF (of suspense). And just as I miraculously found a branch to hold onto the author saw me and left me hanging!! I really want a sequel to that story, but continuing a story with such a deep ending is DIFFICULT. So the author is REALLY talented (Mine felt undermined after reading such a story. So seriously. Read it. It'll leave you opened mouthed.). If you guys have time to read it, please read this story :)**

**You guys actually keep me on my feet because usually every time I log on here I end up finding out that I have a new review. So ****Special Thanks To: (read the msg next to your name to read the reply I have for you guys!)**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee-( " heh...I actually might use them later in the story. But I'm not sure yet. All I'm going to say lol)**

**Savannah- (;) keep reading and you'll find out)**

**Drake Hellion (new reader!! also, heh after 31 chapters my eyes would be burning. This has to be one of my longest stories ever written...but thank you for taking the time to read and comment my story. Better yet, thanks for CLICKING on the title! Please stick by me until the end...I promise to make it worth your while!!)**

**xXSasuxSakuXx- ( ah another long comment. Wow. My random reader. O lordy I'm growing to love you guys :). Heh. Wow I'm as awesome as spongebob. That's like the only thing I watch now a days...and you WILL find out later why it's called till the last rose dies. I'll also tell you guys what quote I got the story idea from at the end too)**

**sheer chibiness (new reader!! Awe thanks :) wow. Good look on your exams! I know how stressful they can be...finals are coming up for me.)**

**xuxuStrawberryGurlxuxu (I have no clue if your a new reader but you definitely flatter me :) )**

**cripsy geco-chan (you appear once again crispy-chan XD arigato.)**

**cutebutweirdlucy ( wow that's interesting. I'm known as the crunchy hashbrown. Why? Well I'll tell you. One of my friends and I were laying in her bed, and 4 in the morning I tell her "I feel like a crunchy hashbrown...from mcdonalds.." and she just laughs her ass off saying "wtf how do you feel like a crunchy hashbrown?" obviously, she isn't the brightest crayon in the crayon box so I started laughing as well and told her "I mean I felt like EATING ONE." so ever since then I am known as hashy the crunchy hashbrown :))**

**Never-quits-Never-backs-down (new reader! I am amused by your nickname as well. Your personality from what I've read makes me giggle :) please continue to stick by me until the end!)**

**... (my anonymous reader. you amaze me. Thank you so much for taking 2-3 days to read my inhumanly long story. Please continue to stick by my until the end!)**

**millerjessica130**

**xImCharmedx-( to be honest I'm not even sure what Orochimaru plans to do yet...and I'm the author...hehe)**

**Kakashi500**

**PASSION244- im so glad that one my readers since the very beginning caught up! I was just wondering where you had gone...**

**HoshikoK- (" eh...hehe...didn't mean to keep you waiting hoshi-chan)**

**kt.1z.awesome- (ah my deranged yet loveable reader. You scare me, but at the same time make me laugh . And oh for that VERY well thought out theory you're, once again, my reader of the chapter :D! This actually made me smile really big, but I refuse to tell you if you're right or wrong. You just have to keep reading...(once again the steak has been pulled from your grasp! haha! and this time...you're leashed...hehe) **

**And I do admit that I thought about throwing in Sakura's confession about her and Sasuke into the mix, but I wasn't sure how you guys would react...so on your behalf I shall throw it in :).)**

**Namine-sama-(oh very good prediction ;) but once again I must not speak of the future...)**

**tema-sama**

**i love hershey- (t shall be one of two things...but I'm not telling. I'm just that horrible.)**

**sasusaku779**

**XxOut of Your League xX- (Ahh another long comment. I love this :). I get my inspiration from the filing cabinet I call my brain. Usually, I get inspired by the stories I read and the people, events surrounding me. Oh, that and I guess I'm just naturally gifted with getting a never-ending supply of ideas...not something you can buy hehe. I have tons of sasuxsaku fics I could create, but I truly want to focus on this one since it's so long . **

**Also, I don't intentionally mean kill you guys, but sometimes you're faced with near death experiences...like running off the cliff of suspense and miraculously finding an ingrown branch to hang onto.)**

**alayneni- (they need to sit down and talk, but they won't :) )**

**Animeartist17-( hehe. I'm just that terrible. And I actually, as crazy as it sounds, before I write anything I see the ending of the story and go from there. Normally, the chapter ideas are made on a whim. Then it usually creates itself. And I get the chapters out frequently because on the other stories I created I used to take forever to upload because it was summer, but now since this story is so popular I can't help but want to see your guys' reaction to each chapter. They encourage me bunches :) )**

**AnbuShadowFang-(haha I'd be like shit we're all gonna dieeeee!!)**

**blue-silver light- (hehe once again my goal: to nearly kill my readers with suspense. I get much joy out of doing this. :) )**

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_You're…all…in…danger…_

Sakura sat back in her stool as shock and fear overcame her. Danger? What kind of danger was Hinata talking about? What was going to happen?

"Hinata…we need to talk about this, but more privately." Sakura whispered to her. She couldn't let anyone know about this. It could wreak havoc throughout the entire castle, maybe even all of Konoha if they were informed of the upcoming danger.

But then again, Sakura couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had felt at the beginning of the day. After all, it hadn't rained in Konoha for what seemed like an eternity. The town never suffered from harsh weather and was always peaceful. Could such a terrible thunder storm be a sign from the heavens that something indeed was going to go dreadfully wrong?

Sakura pulled Hinata out of bed and out of the room, finding Shikamaru and Naruto chatting casually outside. The two stood up, curious to see where the pinkette was doing with the unstable Hyuuga heiress.

The woman faked a smile. "I'm going to the bath house with Hinata. It should relax her muscles a little." She lied, but her inner thoughts praised her. Sakura was beginning to become good and putting up fronts…almost too good…

Without waiting for their response Sakura dragged the poor timid girl out of the infirmary and down the hall to the bath house- which was connected to the hot spring, only used indoor in case there was rain or it was winter time.

Naruto scratched the bed of his head and looked at Shikamaru with a puzzled expression. _'What's with them?' _he asked. Shikamaru only shrugged his shoulders and shut his eyes, murmuring something about women being "troublesome" and that it could have something to do with "monthly cramps".

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"Ahh this was just what we needed Hinata!" Sakura exclaimed as she climbed into the water happily. The steamy water hit her skin and made her shiver delightfully. Her muscles and backed ached from being pushed and pulled everywhere (not to mention being pushed against several walls in the past few days thanks to a certain raven-haired man).

Quietly the woman wrapped a towel around her body and walked into the water, jumping slightly at the sudden soothing feeling she felt once the water enveloped her body. Hinata's face flushed heavily and sunk into the water, resting her head on the edge of the large bath.

The bath house was more like an indoor hot spring with authentic looking rocks and a glass roof above so the women could see the night sky above.

"I'm starting to love it here." Sakura murmured. Though she didn't expect an answer back, she watched from the corner of her eye that the woman with soft lavender eyes had nodded.

But the cheery attitude between the women didn't last when Sakura idly remembering that Hinata had just moments ago told her that they were ALL in danger. "Ne, Hinata…what you told me earlier…are we really all in danger? What does that mean?" she asked, trying not to sound desperate for an answer.

The warm smile on her face disappeared in exchange for bitterness The images she had been shown were more along the lines of a premonition than recovering a memory. And what she saw frightened her to the very core. It was filled with death and betrayal. The peaceful days in Konoha that everyone had grown accustom to were going to come to an end. And theywere going to experience real pain.

But the worst part was that none of them knew what the future would bestow…including Hinata.

"Answer me! Hinata! What did you mean?" Sakura demanded, grabbing her shoulders desperately. Her eyes glowed with fear and anticipation. "Mouth it, try and explain it- do anything!"

…_Ame_

Ame. Rain.

So the rain _did _have something to do with all this. Something bad really was going to happen…

"Hinata…is there anything else you can tell me? When is this going to happen? Soon? Later? What does the rain have to do with it-" but to her dismay the woman shook her head, unable to answer this question.

Sakura lowered her head and took her hands off of the girl's creamy shoulders. "I see…you know, in the beginning; when I came here, I thought that this was all too good to be true." She explained to her softly.

"I mean, I met the lord of Konoha without even realizing it. Then he came back to repay me. He found out my life goal, and offered to help fulfill it. At first I was reluctant; I truly despised the male species and I thought Sasuke was the worst among all of them. I believed that no good could come from them…that they brought nothing but lies, pain, and heartbreak. Now I know that I was extremely wrong."

Hinata looked at her curiously. What could have changed her mind?

Sakura looked hesitantly at her. "You know what else…? I thought that coming here would be easy…that I could live here in good terms with the men but not get attached. But I was wrong about that too…," she paused to look at the girl who looked a little surprised to hear this.

"I read in a book once that to become good at something you have to have a passion for it. But to truly great you have to have motivation. And the greatest motivation comes from love. So when you're motivated by someone you care about anything is possible. I didn't understand that at first. The only thing I really cared about was finding my father and getting answers to questions only he could answer. But now…" jade orbs met plum colored ones as a smile curled at her lips.

"Hinata…can I trust you to keep a secret?" she asked hesitantly, moving closer to her. Could she trust Hinata about her and Sasuke? Perhaps they were all in danger because they were together?

The girl with lavender eyes looked at her questioningly. "If…I told you that…there's more between Sasuke and I than people know…how would you react?"

At first, the heiress's eyes widened, but then relaxed. And a smile formed at her lips. Relief could be read across the pinkette's face as she sighed. Hinata wasn't horrified like she had predicted. In fact, she almost looked…happy about discovering this.

"Because of him finding my father is becoming a distant memory. I'm finding out this thing called love…I think I'm falling for him, Hinata. As crazy as that sounds."

Hinata shook her head. It wasn't crazy at all. It was human nature, and because she had refused to act according to these emotions they were alien to her. She must've been terrified when she realized she was falling in love with him.

"So," Sakura paused to look up at her once more "If you have any more of those…things…please tell me. If something bad actually were going to happen…I want to be ready for it. I want… I want to protect the people I've formed bonds with. Including you, Hinata. " The pinkette mumbled as she looked down at her reflection in the water.

The midnight-haired girl looked surprised at this thought. Something inside her seemed to leap at this statement. Sakura cared for Hinata. Even though she was in love with the Uchiha who was her "rival" as Hyuuga heiress. Nor did it didn't matter that she were mute or possibly raped. She wanted to protect her; someone she had just recently met.

Once again a smile curled at her lips. Sakura was going to become a wonderful doctor. After all, a doctor whose motivation comes from the people around her; the ones that she holds close in her heart would become a magnificent one.

Happy tears burned the corners of her eyes as she nodded hysterically. Sakura smiled at this. "I want to see you get better, Hinata. We all do, actually."

The two stayed in the water as Sakura talked to her about everything-both big and small. From stories about when she was little and her parents still seemed happy to Ino and her highly amusing outbursts.

It seemed like hours before Sakura and Hinata decided that the heat of the bath was starting to make them dizzy and crawled out of the large, soothing hot spring like bath.

When they reached the infirmary the paused to talk, now robed. "You've had a rough day, Hinata. Try to get some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow, alright?"

The girl silently nodded before turning and walking into the infirmary, shutting the door behind her. Sakura smiled. Glad that she had formed another bond, this time with someone with a broken and downhearted; greatly hurt by men. _'I hope she begins to start trusting again…'_

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As Sakura walked upstairs she sighed. It had been a long day for her. She had both lost and regained Shikamaru's trust and respect, Gaara recovered an important chunk of his memory (which he had yet to share with them), she had to lie to Naruto to protect his feelings (but was she doing the right thing lying to someone who thought so highly of her?), and she had gotten closer to Hinata.

Then a certain raven-haired man popped into her mind. Sasuke was also beginning to open his heart to her. But since this morning she hadn't seen him once. _He must be really busy. _She pondered thoughtfully, but she missed the closeness and warm sensation that erupted from her heart when she felt Sasuke wrap a strong arm around her tiny frame protectively; letting her snuggle on his chest.

So with this, she decided to pay him a little visit.

When she found her wandering eyes leading her to the door to Sasuke's office Sakura noticed that a light was still on. _'He's still working?' _Sakura thought wildly. _'I guess it pays to be lord…'_

Slowly, she opened the door and found him massaging his scalp in frustration over a pile of papers. Sakura smiled. He must've been deep in thought for he hadn't noticed her walking in and sliding the door behind her.

"Busy?" she asked timidly, appearing in front of his desk. Sasuke flinched and looked up. Though he didn't look it, Sakura had scared the shit out of him.

"One way or another." Sasuke replied, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. "You?" he asked noticing her hair was damp and she was wearing a bath robe.

Sakura smiled. "I finished a few hours ago so I decided to spend a little quality time with Hinata."

"Hn."

"I've been neglecting her for a few days, so I think she deserved a little girl-to-girl time." She replied, noting of the pout on his lips she so dearly wanted to kiss.

"Hn." Sasuke repeated plainly and looked back down at his papers and intentionally making her frown. "What-"

"I'm busy." He interjected, smirking to himself when Sakura's mouth turned into a small "O" while her brows furrowed. He was jealous…but over Hinata? She would never understand men no matter how hard she tried or what type of doctor she would become…

"Well I guess if you don't want to see me I'll-"but as she pivoted towards the direction of the door Sasuke silenced her by appearing behind her and wrapping a strong pair of arms around her waist.

"I never said that." Sasuke mumbled, snuggling his face on the side of her nape making her smile lightly. Sakura reached a hand back to play with Sasuke's raven locks then gasped softly when she felt the man nibbling on her neck. _'Jeez what is with this guy and my neck…?' _she thought wildly. If Sasuke was reborn, he could probably come back as a dog...hmm…Sasuke, the tiny, cuddly Uchiha _puppy_…

Sakura found herself giggling when an image of a cute raven-haired dog with obsidian eyes lapped at her neck.

"What's so funny," Sasuke asked monotonously. Slightly muffled by her neck. But she shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. Just day dreaming."

"You're birthday is coming up." The raven-haired man stated, completely changing the subject after a few minutes of silence. He pulled her body closer to him. Quietly she nodded. "You remembered…"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason." Sakura lied.

"Hn?" Sasuke asked as if reading her mind. He could see through her lies. Hesitantly she nodded her head. But before she could speak Sasuke roughly bit her neck; not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough to make her cry in pain.

"What the **fuck **Sasuke?!" She swore as she clasped a hand over the throbbing spot. Sakura turned to face him and pushed his shoulder with her free hand which made him stumble back so he was sitting on the desk. Anger could be seen in her green orbs, but he returned the look with just as much force. "You're lying." He told her darkly.

"That's why you bit me?!"

"Hn."

"Don't 'hn' me! That doesn't give you any right to do that! That hurt **a lot **you know…"

"So you admit it."

"W-Wha…that's not the point!"

"Yes it is."

"Urgghh Sasuke!! Hmmph!" the pinkette sniffed as she jerked her head away from him, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms in frustration. Sasuke frowned, but deep down inside him, her anger was somewhat a turn on for him.

Sasuke reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling it to him again. For a split second surprise could be seen in her eyes, but it disappeared quickly as a frown formed at her lips. "_Now _what're you doing?" Sakura snapped. Flinching when he kisses her jaw.

Then he said something that completely wiped away her frustration. "You're cute when you're mad." He told her playfully. And no matter how hard she tried to suppress it the random compliment he had given her made her giggle.

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his playful stare. "You know that you can't give me a compliment every time you make me mad, right?"

"I can try."

His response made her giggle once more before capturing his lips with another kiss. But he pulled away when he remembered the reason why they were arguing in the first place. "You didn't answer my question Sakura."

Sakura tried to pull out of his grasp, but he wouldn't let her. "Sakura." He repeated in a low tone. She sighed and looked away; as if contemplating in her head what to say. "I just didn't think you would remember it…no one usually does." She admitted quietly.

Except Ino of course. Who insisted every year that she celebrate the day of her birth and take part in the ridiculous rituals. Be sent to find some random item all day so the annoying blonde could excitedly decorate the flower shop.

When she would return she would find the place covered with balloons and banners with a large cake always with a different saying on it like "HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOREHEAD GIRL!!" Or "YOU'RE A YEAR OLDER, BILLBOARD BROW!" and every year Sakura would pretend to be excited and surprised. As if she had forgotten or wasn't expecting it.

Sakura was lucky to have such a slow friend who was easy to please.

But when she felt Sasuke shift and tighten his grip on her so that he was cradling her body in his arms she was brought out of her thoughts. "…You don't have to worry about that anymore." Sasuke told her quietly. The tenderness in his voice caught her off guard, even if it was barely audible.

Sakura's hands wrapped around him tightly as they slid up his back and around his shoulders into a loving hug. "Arigato." she murmured softly.

Suddenly she felt herself being picked up by the man who soundlessly carried her back to his room before shutting the door behind them.

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The next day Sasuke waited for dully for the guards to get him fitted for his formal wear. Glumly he allowed them to measure his waist and height. He had woken up alone, cold, and cranky because of a loud crackle of thunder and he was glum because a certain pink-haired woman had taken the necessary precautions to not get caught and left his room early.

Which meant he was a very unhappy Uchiha at the moment.

And now, since he had to ready himself and the castle for the ball Sasuke wouldn't have the slightest chance to sneak away and see the woman he longed to hold.

Then he remembered something important. Sakura's birthday was tomorrow. But what would he get her? Sasuke pondered this thoughtfully Maybe a bouquet of roses would make her happy? After all, women were easy to please…right?

No…Sakura was different. She was…special… that's when Kaito's word played back in his head. _'Get something that Haruno-san will cherish' _

'_There are a couple of __**things **__she could cherish…' _something snickered in the back of his mind. This made him blush as several dirty thoughts ran across his mind, but he dismissed these immediately.

"Oi, Sato." Sasuke called to the man measuring the length of his arm. "What is it Uchiha-sama?" asked the soft-brown eyed man after marking something down on a chart.

"…You're married aren't you?" he asked without looking at him. The newly wed continued to work without stopping but was surprised with his question. Could there be a woman on the supposedly icy-hearted man's mind?

"Hai, Uchiha-sama. Hiyashi-chan and I were married a couple of months ago."

"Hn. You know what women want then?" Sasuke asked slightly hesitant. This made the man stop completely as a wide smile appeared at his lips. There WAS a woman on his mind. A woman special enough to melt the ice around his frigid heart.

"It depends. But if you don't mind me asking, Milord…what is the reason behind this question?" Sato asked curiously. The smile on his lips and the sparkle in this man's eyes made him uneasy.

"...a birthday present for someone." Sasuke replied submissively, turning away as he said this.

"Is this special woman someone dear to your heart, Milord?" the man asked, attempting to contain the excitement in his voice to sound professional. And at that moment he knew that Sato wanted to know who he was shopping for.

Hmmph. He certainly wasn't going to tell him that it was Sakura. All of Konoha would have a fit.

"Answer my question." Sasuke told him impatiently. Was it really that "out-of-the-ordinary" that he was shopping for a woman?

"Gomen nasai, milord; my curiosity got the better of me. After all, up until now all of Konoha has known you as the 'heart-of-ice prince'. It's almost unreal that you're asking about what to get someone as a gift let a alone a woman anything but a cold stare." chuckled the man. But he quickly turned it into a cough when he realized Sasuke thought it was all but funny.

"Ahem…err…perhaps if you told me how old this woman was I could be of service to you? The age of the woman sometimes depends on how old they are." Explained the man. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him. Though his soft eyes meant well he knew deep down he wanted answers.

"18 tomorrow." The raven-haired lord replied without another word. Sato looked down to smile. So this woman WAS of importance to him. AND she was to be of age…the perfect age to wed.

"I see. Well…when Hiyashi-chan was 18 she loved jewelry and perfume. Flowers are more for an apology than one for a woman's birthday."

'_Flowersapology gift. Got it.' _Sasuke noted to himself before Sato went on. "It also depends on what level you're on with the girl."

"Hn?"

"Well…if she's your close friend you would get her a stuffed animal or something inexpensive. But if you were…intimate with her you wouldn't hesitate to spend a little money on her. "

Hmm…that was an idea.

_If it was possible I would give her the world. _He thought absently, but his mind mentally slapped him when realized what he had just thought. _'You've give her the world? What are you thinking? You're falling in love with her!' _

'_I'm not in love with her.'_

'_You don't want to give someone you DON'T love the world, baka.' _His mind challenged. But as he silenced this voice in his head he couldn't help but think that it had a point.

That's when it hit him. The Uchiha's eyes lit up with quiet excitement. He knew _exactly _what to get her.

But he just hoped she would like it.

**(A/N: hehe….sorry guys. I'm not giving you any hints as to what he's actually getting her. Because I'm terrible :), But instead of being downright evil to you guys, I'm going to make this long enough to give you guys a GLIMPSE of what's coming up. Which means the NEXT chapter will be what you guys all have been waiting for. I absolutely CANNOT wait to write it. But I'm stalling, so let's keep going. )**

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_Yoroichi and Fuuyuki had wide grins on their faces. "Ohayo, Sakura-san!" Yoroichi exclaimed happily. Puzzled, she returned their greeting. "What did you guys need me for?"_

"_Technically, we don't need you for anything." Fuuyuki replied. "We're here to escort you for your formal fitting in the sun room that is."_

"_But…I thought that the ball was only for the rich and powerful-with royal blood?" Sakura asked in bewilderment as the two dragged her along. "Of course not, Sakura-san! AND your birthday is tomorrow, so technically you're the guest of honor."_

_The pinkette felt her jaw drop to the floor as she stared at them. "G-Guest of honor?!" this was extremely shocking. She had never been a guest of honor for anything. Never had she held so much importance…and it scared her._

"_I-I can't be the guest of honor…I'm just a peasant girl-"_

"_Nonsense!! You're Uchiha-sama's guest which means you're of importance to him. I'm sure that he wouldn't want anyone else to be the guest of honor other than you." Yoroichi argued, now dragging her more forcefully along until finally, they could no longer take her protests and her heels digging into the carpets._

_So, without much effort the men grabbed both sides of her arms, lifted her up, and carried her to the sun room where her fitting would begin._

"_Let me go!!" _

Sakura sighed subconsciously as she sat quietly on a stool that she had been placed on.

She had been forced to leave her work in the infirmary to be fitted for HER formal attire. Forced to put up with women constantly tugging and pulling things that constantly asked her personal questions…

…Constantly giving her dirty looks behind her back; as if trying to figure out why she was the only woman Sasuke had allowed to stay let alone look at her more than a passing glance.

It was already mid-afternoon and she hadn't seen Sasuke all-day for he had gone to Konoha for his formal wear. Then she idly realized that she missed him; longing to be in his arms.

_You're falling in love with him, Sakura. _Her mind told her teasingly. But she shook her head. _'I'm not falling in love with Sasuke…I promised Ino I wouldn't.'_

'_Soooo you're leading him on?' _

'_What! No! I'm…not in love with him…it's not possible to fall in 'love' with someone so quickly' _but if she wasn't how could she describe the strong feelings she was developing for him?

'_Yeah. Keep lying to yourself, but you know that that's not healthy…' _her inner self snickered _'After all, that's not what you were thinking when you crawled into Sasuke's bed last night.'_

Sakura flushed furiously at the thought of this. _You-_

"Oh. My…God..." murmured a voice, bringing Sakura out of her thoughts. She turned to look at the women standing on both sides of her, gaping repetitious .

"I think…I know why…Uchiha-sama..."

"Y-Yeah…me too…"

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, and then she turned to look at herself in the mirror, and what she saw made her gawk and spin around in the mirror. "Kami…"

Then the women smiled. "You're going to blow Uchiha-sama's _mind _when he sees you like this."

A smile curled at her rosy lips before she murmured, "Arigato,"

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Kaito strolled down the long halls of the castle; almost sadly as he looked at all the tapestries and paintings-all the intricate designs he had grown to love. Others, he hadn't appreciated until now.

'_I sure am going to miss this place…it's a shame that I have to leave before the ball, but perhaps tomorrow night they will open their doors to me?' _He thought hopefully. Kaito stopped at a particular large painting of Uchiha Fugaku, Mikoto, Itachi, Sasuke, and their grandfather.

'_Fugaku-sama…I hope that I've pleased you with my services to your clan. Please watch over Sasuke and help him to make the right choices…make sure he doesn't let Sakura go…' _But his thoughts were interrupted when he heard voices.

_No one should be in this part of the castle right now…they should all be either getting fitted for their formal wear or decorating the great hall…_

"The old man and Sasuke-kun are beginning to suspect me as well…all because of your incompetence!" slithered a man quietly.

"N-No…of course not! They couldn't figure out the link between us Orochimaru-sama!"

"You fool…your confidence shall be your downfall…" but sneered when the man made a cowering noise and backed up so he was leaning against the wall.

"I shall let you live…for now. Only because you convinced Yozu-san to let the old man go earlier than expected…he could've proven very troublesome in my plans…"

Kaito felt anger welt inside him as he listened to their conversation. So Saito and Orochimaru were up to something after all…and it involved letting him go early. But why…?

'_Forgive me Kaito-san…but this is the only way I can keep you from being killed…'_

"Tell me Saito…are your bonds more important than our goal?"

"O-Of course not, Orochimaru-sama!"

"Which means killing anyone who stands in my way?"

The man hesitated. "I thought you didn't want any unnecessary bloodshed?" he asked meekly. Kaito shuddered when he heard the pale man chuckle heartlessly. "Anyone who stands in the ways of my plans are worth killing. Unless you think your bonds with these people are more important over me?"

"Never Orochimaru-sama. I shall serve you, just as I have pledged."

"Good. For I will not tolerate incompetence. Now…onto bigger troubles. To be a step near our goal we must rid the way of any roadblocks…and a rather large roadblock is the flower. She holds the key to Sasuke-kun's heart. If we manipulate her, everything will follow suit, like a domino effect."

Kaito nearly felt his heart stop. They were plotting against Sasuke! And they needed Sakura to do it…

He had to warn somebody…anybody. _'I won't leave the castle until I know of their true intentions…'_ Kaito vowed as he searched the wall for a hidden panel.

Swiftly he found it and slipped into the passage, watching it close soundlessly behind him. _'Fugaku-sama…I have one last request…even if it costs me my life, let me be able to protect Sasuke and the fate of the Uchiha clan…'_

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Kaito knocked on the wall and watched it open up. Thankfully, he found himself in one of the infirmary medicine cabinets.

When he emerged from one he startled Shikamaru who was just about to open it. "Kaito! What are you-"

"Shikamaru…I have to warn you of something…I overheard Orochimaru and Saito talking. I don't have a lot of time for I might have been followed…"

"Kaito-"

"As Sasuke had predicted they're planning something against him…Shikamaru, watch them carefully, and tell no one about this…Saito was a spy for Orochimaru, who knows who else is behind this…"

"Kaito, slow down a little." Shikamaru told him calmly. When Kaito caught his breath he informed the man of all he heard. Shock spread throughout Shikamaru's body.

Then he realized something.

No one should have known about the background search Gaara and Sakura were doing on Orochimaru…unless they had overheard them talking…

Then he made the connection. Somewhere along the lines they were being watched…and he had a feeling that they had been watched in the hall of records.

"…Kaito…there are secret passageways all over the castle right?" he asked gravely. Puzzled, the old man nodded. "Of course-"

"…Is there one that leads to the hall of records?"

"…not many know of it. But it is quite easy to access… why do you ask?"

Shit. Why didn't he make the connection sooner?

They were being watched without even realizing it…

"Gaara and Sakura were doing a background search on Orochimaru until he fainted…he remembered something about his past, so Sakura brought him back here. But when we went up to retrieve it, it was missing. I suspected a thief. But now I know that not only did a vial piece of information slip out of our hands but we were being watched this entire time…" Shikamaru explained quickly.

Kaito turned pale. "…Then Uchiha castle is no longer safe." He replied quietly. But the brown haired man shook his head. "That's not entirely true. Though there are other secret passageways, this man must only know a few. One of them is the one from the hall of records. All we have to do is act as though we're bugged in the rooms with secret passageways."

"But there are thousands, Shikamaru. Some connect to each other!" Kaito protested. Then he shook his head. "Each is set with a trap or puzzle to solve, right? Orochimaru's only been here for a day and a half. So his spy must've infiltrated the castle around the same time. He probably found the passageway when everyone greeted him."

The old man looked at with praise. _'He will make an excellent adviser to Sasuke once this threat is dealt with.' _"Shikamaru, the two haven't suspected me yet, but I assume that they shall soon, if they haven't already. I won't leave Uchiha castle until I find out their intentions. But until then, keep a close eye on Orochimaru and Saito along with any one else acting out of the ordinary." He paused to clasp his hands over Shikamaru's wrist.

"Be careful…also, look after Sakura. Orochimaru plans on using her against Sasuke." And without another word Kaito disappeared into the storage room. _'Kuso…old man…you're going to get yourself killed this way…'_

But there was no time to lose. Shikamaru had some serious thinking and investigating to do...but he would need help…and he knew just the right people….

**TBC…**

**I hoped you guys liked that little glimpse of what's coming up. I'll try to have the next chapter up by Thurs, if I'm not running behind schedule.**

**Till Next Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	35. My Voice Returns

**Hey guys, the school years almost over, and I'm so excited for summer. This chapter reveals a new character (compliments to ****HinataMusaCorneliaRenee****) along with a surprise at the end!**

**Oh, and I've decided what Orochimaru's plans are. And I'm sure it'll be slightly confusing for you guys at first, but as I push you farther you'll begin to realize what's going on. Many of you have caught sight of it, but heh. You aren't there yet. Just keep reading, and don't stress.**

**Also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE from the depths of my heart SLEEP! I'm flattered that some would be dedicated enough to read so diligently but many of you have tests that determine if you PASS or FAIL. Don't worry though, you guys aren't alone. Like most of you guys I have final exams ect, ect all the way up till the last day of school. I meant to have this up for you guys on Thurs, but I had a concert that ran really late. I was the only one out of my class playing the difficult version, so I was playing with the upper class. (Hard as HELL). Usually when I'm not cramming or doing my homework I'm trying to get these chapters writ and revised for you guys. Rose will always be here for you to access, please so focus on studying for the time being :). ****Normally I upload on weds, thurs, or the weekends!!**

**None of this would be possible without my readers/reviewers, so Special Thanks To:**

**libra89 (wish granted :D)**

**one2bLoved ( thanks for stopping by, reading and catching up! You're one of my readers that have been reading since around the time this first came out...and I'd hate to lose you! Oh, and I'm not sure if Kaka-sensei is going to be one-shot or not, but Ino will appear several times!)**

**blue-silver light**

**xXSasuxSakuXx- ( since the anime came out I didn't like Orochimaru. Especially when he took Sasuke-kun away...let me tell you I was beating my TV when I saw that...hehe...aweeee I love my readers :) you're so good to me and granting me with this awesomeness thing haha)**

**SasuSaku13636**

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**lacusclien4**

**minniemousemom**

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**michelle**

**nicole (ahh be nice to asukachan!!)**

**Namine-sama**

**tema-sama**

**alayneni-( yayy :) the author is Animegurl9164. she's really talented. I recommend it)**

**Yami Uchiha**

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**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee**

**kt.1z.awesome (XD I'll get right on that loss of citizen ship thing...lol Actually in this story he isn't even from Konoha. And there might be a slight chance i'll separate them, but this IS a SasuxSaku fic so count on them getting back together :) )**

**sasusaku7790 (ahh i love my adorable readers you guys make me laugh all the time XD)**

**crispy geco-chan- (hah wow for that comment I seriously started rolling around. You're my reader of the chapter :). I'm taking journalism as one of my classes, so I'll be on my school's newspaper 2nd semester. I want to become a writer, humanitarian or psychologist, so maybe in the future you'll hear about me :) )**

**Never-Quits-Never-Backs-Down ( yayy I love you muh new reader. O.O I wish you luck on you test! And thank you thank you for introducing my story to other people! You will definitely be one of my cherished readers. I'm glad I've influenced you to start writing. Let me know if you need some feedback or encouraging plots, ect ect. Also, I do plan on releasing a new fic a few weeks after Rose is done, so look out for it!)**

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**Kakashi500**

**Miss Aerith- (( I know how some authors are, but I'm not one of those READ-MY-STORY-AND-REVIEW-OR-DEATH type of thing. I'm just happy to have readers/reviewers period :) )**

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Sasuke sighed as the kago was led through the wet gates of Uchiha castle. _'It's almost good to be back…' _he thought to himself when the kago came to a stop. Until recently Sasuke thought of the castle nothing more than "hell-on-Earth" or along the lines of a prison.

Then he met a certain pink-haired woman who saved him from himself.

And his prison, the empire (hell) his clan had created, became his heaven.

The guards greeted him with a humble bow as they opened the large doors to the castle. He nodded to them stiffly before entering. The servants that had gone along quickly carried in large boxes-holding the formal attire for the following evening.

As Sasuke wandered down the halls he pondered the whereabouts of _his _flower; whom never failed to leave his thoughts- even for a second.

_You're falling madly in love with her. What do I smell? __**Whipped **__Uchiha? _Snickered the voice in the back of his head and it pissed him off.

He could not deny, without lying to himself, that he was falling for this woman who had appeared suddenly in his life. But there was one thing for sure: an Uchiha was_ never _whipped. By ANYONE.

_Oh, is that so? Cut the tough guy act. Let me give you a definition of whipped. Whipped: (v.) someone head over heels, completely oblivious to reason, and would do anything for their significant other. Sounds like you, doesn't it? Admit it. You would run around the WORLD for this girl._

But the mocking voice was silenced when he heard voices in the sun room. High pitched giggles and soft murmurs.

Women…3 or 4 of them

Besides Sakura.

In HIS castle…

But just as he was going to raise hell Sasuke decided to listen in on their ecstatic whispers when he heard his flower speak.

"…Do you think he'll like it…?" she asked the women hesitantly. They paused before giggling annoyingly.

"Of COURSE he will, Haruno-san! We already told you before that he's gonna blow his TOP!"

Blow his…? He pondered wildly wanting badly to peel back the doors and see her.

"You're so beautiful Haruno-san…I can't really put my finger on it, but you're like the princesses in the fairy tales!" sighed an envious woman who with a soft, young voice.

Then it hit him. Sakura was being fitted for her dress, and when he realized this he became even more curious.

"Sure, if the princesses had unusual natural pink hair and goofy big green eyes…"

"But I think that your eyes make you desirable." Spoke another woman. Her voice sounded mature, as if she were the oldest. Sasuke listened intently to this. "Your eyes hold something…different. And I'm not just talking about the color. Uchiha-sama sees it, and he's drawn to it."

"It's almost unfair…when he sees you in this, if he hasn't already, Uchiha-sama will fall madly in love with you. Even with him known as the ice-hearted prince. You'll be the most desired woman in all of Konoha; famous for melting the heart of our Lord."

"Most desired…?" Sakura repeated softly. "I've never been desired before…"

Well, this wasn't entirely true. Ino once told her that when the men who had come to buy flowers found her entirely captivating and forgot their purpose. They were mesmerized; blinded by infatuation. And they longed for her.

But of course she had never believed it until now.

"We're finished fitting you with your dress, Haruno-san. We wish you luck."

Sasuke swore mentally as he stepped away from the door. If he were caught the women would probably attack him and steal his clothes. Luckily, Sakura called them back "W-Wait…with what?"

The raven-haired man could almost see their smiles as the responded cheerfully. "With melting our Lord's heart of course.

"…But I wasn't here to-"

"I think…only YOU can do it, Haruno-san. After all you were the first and only woman to stay here besides Mikoto-sama many years ago. And he INVITED you! It's obvious that subconsciously…he chose YOU."

Sasuke came to realization when he replayed the women's words in his head. _'Subconsciously…he chose YOU.' _Was Sakura truly the woman his mother had spoke to him about? The woman that could "melt his heart of ice?"

Could she be the "One"?

"Ladies…if you want, would you like to be guests at the ball?" Sakura asked hesitantly, not knowing if she could invite the people of Konoha to the Uchiha ball. _'I'm sure Sasuke won't mind…with a little persuading…' _she thought mentally as her inner thoughts cackled and threw her fists into the air triumphantly. _'FINALLY! We get to seduce the Uchiha to get what we want! Hell yes!'_

"W-W-We'd be honored Haruno-san! I can't believe you would invite us…mere peasants-"

"Don't you ever say that." Sakura replied harshly. Her tone was almost intimidating. "You aren't PEASANTS. You're people. Just because you don't come from royal descent doesn't mean you're any less human. Do they not bleed like you and depend on the necessities of life to live? Never look at people with power or money like gods because they aren't." then she paused to soften her tone. "Besides, this ball is for peace among the neighboring nations, so what kind of ball wouldn't let its own people in?"

The women murmured understandingly among each other before thanking Sakura and taking their leave. But they looked around when they thought they heard someone chuckle. Luckily, Sasuke was hidden in the shadows.

When the women had left Sasuke entered the sun room and shut the door behind him soundlessly. Lust filled his obsidian-onyx eyes as he stared at the pink-haired woman. Whatever she had been wearing before was stripped off her and casted aside on a chair near the draped window.

Sakura had just slipped on her kimono; this one a soft yellow with a white sash. When she let her hair down she noticed someone had entered the room, staring at her with lustful eyes. Startled, she started to let out a yelp, but Sasuke's hand swiftly covered her mouth from behind and muted the sound.

"It's me." He replied softly, watching her shoulders relax. Her hands wrapped around his wrist and pulled it down from her soft lips. "Sasuke…"

The man cradled her waist in his arms as he nuzzled his face in her neck, almost lovingly. "How did your visit to Konoha go?" She asked, subconsciously reaching a hand back to play with his raven locks.

"Could've been better." _If you had been there… _He replied plainly. Sakura seemed to read his mind and turned her head slightly to look back at him. A small smile was plastered on her lips. "Oh? Did you get anything accomplished at least?"

"Hn. More than I expected." Sasuke smirked when a puzzled expression crossed her sun-kissed face. During his time here Sasuke had only been in the sun room when his mother was still alive. She enjoyed painting and was fairly good at it, even if she didn't give herself credit for it. But when she had died, he had lost all interest in coming to the beautiful room located just right so the sun made the room almost seem angelic and unreal. Like being in a fairy tale.

But with Sakura in his arms Sasuke seemed to reacquire a liking to the room he had once been fascinated with.

And when he realized this his thoughts began to scare him. Her feather kisses, her tiny frame against his…those _damned_ captivating eyes… What was this woman doing to him? She was changing him as a person; bringing out emotions that he thought had long ceased to exist. What would he do if she were to ever leave him?

The raven-haired man spun her around slowly so she could face his onyx eyes. The look in that they held made her arms almost immediately snaked around his neck and pulled him down for a fervent kiss.

"I want to announce it at the ball." He replied when they pulled away for air. At first, Sakura looked at him with a puzzled expression. But scanned his face and saw anticipation.

He meant about them.

"A-Are you sure? It could prove troublesome in the future…" Sakura told him hesitantly, but her hesitation was beginning to thaw when he pulled her body even closer to him in reassurance. "I don't care."

"But-"her voiced trailed off when she saw it. And she was sure he could feel her heart beating out of her chest.

The cold onyx eyes she had first met had turned warm with love and his pale yet handsome face seemed more relaxed; content. Sasuke was falling in love with her.

Sakura's jade orbs seemed to welt up with emotion when she realized this and Sasuke noticed it immediately. He gave her his signature smirk before repeating what she had said.

"But?"

A smile curled at her lips as well. And her arms tightened around his neck. "If that's what you want…"

"It is." He replied before crushing his lips on hers. But as the two kissed neither realized someone with monstrous golden orbs eyeing them from outside the room. The man behind the eyes snickered mentally. _'You plan on announcing your affair to all the nations tomorrow, ne? Not if I can help it…nothing is going to stand in the way of my plans…' _he replied before slipping into the shadows.

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It was already nightfall before the two left the sunroom. Quietly they walked down the empty halls.

Everyone was still busy with the preparations, so most of the castle was deserted. "I want to give you something. Tomorrow." Sasuke told her suddenly as they turned a corner.

Hmm? A birthday gift?

'_Did you get anything accomplished at least?'_

'_Hn. More than expected.'_

So that's what he had meant.

That sneaky Uchiha.

But of course, Sakura found a bright smile curling at her lips. "Oh? Was I hard to shop for?"

"Not really."

"You know you didn't have to get me anything…"

"Hn." Sasuke replied unbelieving. Like he WASN'T going to get her anything. Che. This made her laugh and wrap her arms around on of his. "Arigato. I'm sure I'll love it."

And this made Sasuke wonder. Was Sato's advice of use to him? Had he gotten her the right gift? A thousands questions popped into his head making him stress, but suddenly he heard footsteps and murmurs.

Slowly he broke away from Sakura and put on stiff expression as the men turned a corner, surprised to find the two walking together.

"Oh, Uchiha-sama, Haruno-san we weren't expecting to run into you two." The guards told them humbly and bowed their heads.

"I just got done with my dress fitting, and Sasuke came to look for me." Sakura responded only partially lying. He hadn't particularly gone looking for her. In fact, she had merely popped into his head when he heard women's voices coming out of the sun room. But of course, she didn't know he had been there the entire time.

"I see. That reminds me. Uchiha-sama I believe Yozu-sama was in need of your assistance in the great hall."

Though it was silent, Sakura could almost hear him groan mentally before he hn'ed and was escorted by the two, leaving Sakura to watch their retreating figures.

'_Ah well…I suppose I could go back to the infirmary…maybe Gaara's woken up? I better check on him just in case.' _she thought hopefully and walked back to the infirmary.

But when she reached the doors she froze with terror. Something rather _large_, white and furry was guarding the door, sleeping quietly in front of it.

'_It…it looks like a humongous white dog!!' _she thought as she yelped softly. Sakura realized that this would prove to be a fatal mistake as she watched its ears perk to the soft, high pitched sound.

The dog raised his head and noticed the pink-haired woman before growling dangerously, baring its teeth at her; arching it's back as if ready to pounce on her.

'_Sakura…move you idiot!!' _her inner voice screamed, but she found that she could no longer move. She shut her eyes slowly. _'Is this the end…?'_

"DOWN AKAMARU!" roared a voice from the infirmary doorway. Sakura's eyes flung open to see the large dog whining and lying back down. She spun around to face the man behind the voice. Her mouth turned into a large O as she gaped at him.

"K-Kiba!"

"I'm guessing you haven't met Akamaru till now." The man told her with a toothy grin as he patted the beast's large furry head that came up to his chest when sitting down.

"A-Akamaru?"

"Yeah, he's my dog."

"DOG?!"_ 'More like monstrously-huge-dog-like-thing-that-had-intentions-of-killing-us! Shannaro!' _her mind told her angrily, punching the air.

"My ancestors made packs with dogs to protect each other thousands of years ago. Which is why we're called the Inuzuka." Some of the dogs were nin-dogs; used in the wars." Kiba explained, pride lining his voice. "At least that's what Shikamaru said when he found a file on my clan."

'_A nin-dog? No wonder Akamaru's so huge… I wonder where he got his name from.'_

Her mind seemed to have been read as Kiba's grin grew sadistically; showing his sharpened teeth. He was definitely a man of a dog-loving clan. "Hopefully you'll never have to find out why he's named 'Akamaru'."

"Ne, Kiba, what were you doing in the infirmary anyway?" Sakura asked curiously after a short moment of silence. He had only been seen in the infirmary twice since Naruto started to help out, and she doubted that he came to see Hinata this late.

"Err…well…" Kiba replied hesitantly, clearly remembering the reason why he was there in the first place.

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'_Oi, Shikamaru! What'd you want anyway?" Kiba asked, rudely barging in on the ponytail-haired man talking to a man with dark glasses; shielding his eyes from the world. _

"_Eh? You said you wanted to talk to me privately!" the brunette asked, in protest. _

"_I did. I need your help with something." Shikamaru replied calmly. If the two didn't look different he could've compared Kiba to Naruto. "Then why is Shino here?"_

"_I need his help as well." The man replied, gesturing them to sit down. 'It's better if I inform these two about what's going on…if Orochimaru's as bad as Kaito said than I have to keep Hinata safe, no matter what.' He thought quietly before scribbling something onto a piece of paper._

_**Kaito came to me having a notion that Orochimaru and Saito are plotting something troublesome.**_

_The two gaped at him silently, but Kiba bared his teeth in rage._

_**Calm down or you'll end up in here like Hinata and Gaara.**_

"_Since when is he in here? Where the HELL have I been lately…" Kiba eyes seemed to demand as he scratched his head in confusion but more to himself. Shikamaru sighed and counted to three before continuing._

_**As you know Gaara came here recently, but with amnesia. A few days ago Sakura ran into him and encouraged him to recover his memory back. She did something troublesome, so to make up for her actions she did something important for me; to do a background check on Orochimaru with Gaara's help.**_

_**They found something on him, but the minute Gaara touched the file a memory came back to him. But he was in a lot of pain, so they came back her., But when Sakura and I went back up to the hall of records to retrieve the file, it was missing. It was stolen since no one knew about the background check I had sent Gaara and Sakura to do**__._

_**But what does that have to do with us?**__**Why aren't we talking anyway? **__Kiba asked, becoming more puzzled than before. In Shikamarus's eyes he was definitely becoming more like Naruto._

_**I'm getting to that. I can't give you any details, for safety precautions, but we're being watched; a spy has infiltrated Uchiha castle**__. __**In fact, we could be being watched at this very moment which is why I'm writing this down. If Orochimaru and Saito are plotting something Hinata can't be left alone-which is where you two come in.**_

_The man paused to watch Shino and Kiba look at each other. Shino nodded his head silently and scribbled something down as well. __**I understand. You want us to keep a watchful eye on them. **_

_**Aah. Shino, you're from the Aburame clan so you and your bugs can confirm if Orochimaru is plotting troublesome and the possible location of the spy. I suspect inside the walls.**_

_Kiba scratched his head, but seemed to understand a little more. __**Okay, so we're just to keep an eye on him and see if he does anything shady? What're you gonna do then?**_

_**Sakura and I found a link between Orochimaru and Gaara who's somehow connected to Hinata. If I can fill in the blanks between them, I might be able to find out what his true intentions are. One more thing, Sakura can't know what we're doing. Keep and eye on her as well. Kaito told me that they plan to use her against Sasuke.**_

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"Shikamaru wanted my opinion on a medicine, that's all." He lied, and Sakura noticed it. What reason did he have in lying to her? There must be something he was told that Shikamaru didn't want her to know…but why?

"I see. Well, I have some work to do, so I'll see you around okay?" she asked. Sakura didn't wait for his answer before she gave Akamaru's head a quick pat and entered the infirmary.

"Well Akamaru, let's go. We have some work to do too." He told his companion with a grin before they rushed off. Hopefully they could get any leads to help Shikamaru and Shino.

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A few hours later Sakura flopped onto her bed with a groan. Though she had only been in the infirmary for a few hours, she became frustrated and Shikamaru let her have the rest of the night off.

The red-haired man was still unconscious, but Hinata was sleeping peacefully. Whatever he had remembered must've taken a lot out of him. If she didn't know better Sakura would've thought he was comatose.

But the words he murmured in his subconscious state made her uneasy, just as it had when Hinata had warned her.

_Taskete…_(**A/N: save me)**

'_He must be reliving his memories in his sleep…'_ Sakura thought sympathetically. She couldn't imagine the pain he could be going through.

But what hurt her the most was the fact that she couldn't help him even in his state of helplessness. And since she couldn't help him, Sakura couldn't draw the link between him and Hinata.

'_Gaara please wake up soon…'_

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Meanwhile…

"Orochimaru-sama! Aren't you risking yourself by coming to see me?" asked a hesitant, high pitched whisper. The pale man touched this woman's creamy skinned cheek almost tenderly.

The woman looked down but turned her head, as if she were trying to cherish his touch; ignoring the nagging, screaming voice in the back of her head that told her she was only being used.

"Why would I pass up the chance to see my loyal subordinate?" he asked her creepily. "Besides, everyone is busy with the ball preparations and you're hidden by the sound of the rain."

She looked up at his monstrous eyes, as if trying to find some sort of good; something to reassure her that all this was for a good cause, that these innocent lives she had helped taken weren't for selfish intentions or simply to fill his craving for blood. But to her disappointment, she found nothing but cold, dark lust for blood.

"Tell me. What is it that you want?"

"…Orochimaru-sama?"

"You must want something for such abiding loyalty."

"I-I want nothing more than to serve you Milord!" she replied without hesitation, fearing that it was a trick question. Luckily, it wasn't. "There most be something of worldly value that you want. Money? Power? I can give you anything you desire."

The woman looked hesitantly in his eyes. "There is…one thing…he was faithful, just as I am to you." Her one and only love had been "taken" away from him, and his fall had been at Konoha borders, by their hands because he was serving his lord faithfully.

The man smiled evilly. "Ah…I remember _him_. What a shame he had to die by Konoha's hands." Orochimaru replied smugly as he looked at the woman's eyes that turned cold at the memory of this.

"Thof you desire _his_ resurrection you shall get it." He replied, loving her startled, hopeful reaction. "Honto?! (**a/n: means really?!)**"

"Anything for my _loyal _subordinate. But I am in need of your assistance. I need you to..."

-

-

(**Sorry you guys aren't going to find out what she needs to do 'till later. I'm just that evil :) )**

-

"?!"

Kin stood in complete shock. What Orochimaru had told her to do was unthinkable; unreal…his request was almost incapable of doing. It would destroy her…yet…

"This is the last time I will burden you before I let you go." Orochimaru coaxed, seeing the hope being put into her eyes. The hope that would drive her to new lows. The hope he would take advantage of before discarding her mercilessly.

"My loyal Kin…tell me…what is your answer? Will you serve me one last time?"

The woman lowered her head silently, as if trying to soak in his final request. The request that would become her immediate death if she were found out. "I… have no other desire than to serve you Orochimaru-sama… I have lived for you. I live to serve you." She replied, getting down on her knees and bowing so low that her forehead touched the wet grass below their feet.

"_Excellent_." He hissed, caressing her cheek as he cackled mentally. _'All according to plan…all according to plan.'_

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Sakura's eyes opened slowly to the sound of rain hitting the window panes. It had been raining nonstop for 3 days and it didn't help the feeling of growing uneasiness in the pit of her stomach.

'_Today's the day of the ball and my 18__th__ birthday…but I'm all but excited for it…' _She thought as she sat up and ran a hand through her long pink locks. Though she would be spending it with Sasuke she had a feeling things were going to go horribly wrong.

Yet, as she thought of this, why didn't she stay in bed? Why hadn't she pretended to be sick and sleep the day away?

'_I'd just be acting selfish and childish. If something was going to go wrong I have a chance to stop it. Hinata already predicted it anyway…' _

Slowly Sakura dressed herself in a red kimono garnished with white flowers flowing throughout the dress and tied with a black sash. After brushing her hair she strolled downstairs, and was surprised to see Shino with his ear up against a wall and murmuring something.

'_Is he talking to himself…? Looks like Gaara isn't the only one that's sick…' _Sakura thought as she watched him.

"Ohayo, Sakura-san." He told her quietly, but didn't look up. _'Well that didn't last long…Damn! How could he notice me without looking up…?' _

Deciding that there wasn't any point in pretending she wasn't there, Sakura came from around the corner and smiled. "Good morning Shino. What are you doing?"

"Inspecting the walls."

"For what?"

"Any form of life." He replied simply making her skin crawl a little. Bugs? But when he didn't elaborate she nodded. "I see. Are you excited for the ball tonight? Yoroichi-san is enthused by the whole thing."

"It's the latter."

'_Jeez! Trying to have a conversation out of this guy is like trying to get water out of a rock! P-O-I-N-T-L-E-S-S!!' _Inner Sakura yelled and pulled her hair. But she ignored this, for Sasuke had a similar personality.

"Oh…well have you seen Naruto by any chance?" Sakura asked the man who seemed to be paying no attention to her. He shook his head, but mumbled two words. "Infirmary perhaps…"

"Arigato. Well I better get to Hinata before he drives her up the walls. Good luck with finding those bugs." The pinkette told him cheerfully.

Shino stopped, confused by this. He wasn't looking for bugs, his bugs were looking for a particular "bug" that could've infiltrated Uchiha castle and was hiding in the walls….but he decided it was better, as Shikamaru said, to keep her oblivious to this inspection.

"Sakura-san." He called before she left. She turned her head slightly to look at the man and felt chills go up her spine. This guy was strange…

"Take care of yourself."

Though she nodded Sakura was puzzled. She had been taking care of herself all her life, and she sure as hell wasn't dependent on others such as Sasuke. If anything Sasuke was dependent on her. She was his sanity, his comfort, and the object his affection.

"I will. Don't worry." And with that she hurried down to the infirmary. But as she did this she didn't realize the bug following her along the walls. _'Just to be safe.' _Shino thought before returning to his work which was a large clump of bugs crawling into a tiny hole in the wall.

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"Sakura-chan thank Kami you're here!" Naruto told her relieved as he grabbed her arm the minute she entered the infirmary. "Naruto? What's wrong?" She asked, startled by his sudden appearance.

"It's Hinata-chan! She's doing that shaking thing again- come on!" Naruto said, dragging her to the room where Hinata was indeed, shaking violently. Tears streamed down her fear-stricken face.

"Naruto, tell me what happened." Sakura told him calmly as she rushed over to Hinata and held her hands. Sakura bit her lip painfully as she watched Hinata's nails dig into the back of her hand and draw blood.

"I-I only came in here to tell her good morning and…well…"

"Well what?"

"Her eyes got all big and she started crying…" Naruto replied in an elusive tone. His cobalt blue eyes were fixed on the shaking girl. Sakura nodded. The cheerful blonde was blaming himself for her agony right now.

"Don't blame yourself, Naruto." The pinkette told him softly before she squeezed Hinata's hands gently. "Hinata, I don't know if you can hear me, but I can't help you if you don't calm down."

Hinata seemed to acknowledge this as she flinched slightly, but her head didn't turn to meet the girl's innocent jade orbs for she was paralyzed with fear. With Naruto's appearance images had popped into her head like a premonition.

_Blood spattered on her now paled skin as she stared in horror. Eyes widened, and his face was scrunched with a mixture of pain and shock. The man fell to his knee, lowering his head. Looking at the blade that was now piercing his body. _

_He looked up one last time as his pupils began to dilate and he murmured something…then her name before collapsing at her feet in a pool of blood._

_A strong arm came around her shoulder and covered her mouth, muffling her scream. A scream so loud, had it not been muffled, all of Konoha would've been able to hear it. As she was taken away, the cool metal of a blade against her neck dared her to run to help the man. Dared her to try and retaliate. Dared her to try and find a way out of her near doom…_

Then, suddenly, Hinata screamed before falling into an unconscious state; startling Sakura and Naruto. She had spoken- even if it was a scream. Hinata had gotten her voice back, but whatever she had seen shocked her into regaining her voice back wouldn't be noted until she would reawaken.

But by the looks of it, Hinata wasn't going to wake any time soon.

And that's what scared Sakura the most.

**TBC**

**Ahh the suspense is probably killing you guys and I bet the drama is too. But don't worry; the drama is going to intensify even more next time. It might even make some of you guys cry…**

**I'll have this up for you guys on Weds if I'm not murdered by my the first quarter of my exams. Wish me luck, and I'll do the same for you guys.**

**Till Next Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	36. Betrayal

**Hey guys! I just want to say thank you to everyone who wished me luck on my exams. I didn't finish the first quarter of it but I think I did better on the second half. I also have finals and a ton of reviewing to do and on top of that I have a sinus infection so I have a headache while I'm writing this, but at least it's not affecting my vision or my fingers so I decided that it's not fair to you guys if I don't upload this week. It ESPECIALLY wouldn't be fair to HoshikoK whose birthday is today! **

**This will definitely be the**** longest**** (otherwise you guys have to wait till nxt week) and most INTENSE chapter you guys have seen so far, so be prepared to be possibly overwhelmed!! Also! I recently got contacted by one of my newer readers, kurai hi! **

**She is my reader of the chapter because I'm practically IMPOSSIBLE to contact unless you actually know me in person or you find your name in the "special thanks" section of every chapter. It's truly remarkable, and I felt a lot closer to my readers. So, if you ever want to contact me add me on (my screenname thingy is on my profile :) )**

**Special Thanks To: (. I have some many new readers and reviewers I can't keep track anymore...YARRGG -head explodes for split second-)**

**uchiha helena-hime- (at least you reviewed! Arigato! And thank you :) I'm not sure why but people tend to like my writing style...and taskete means "help me" in japanese, so Hinata was saying save me. Please do your best and I'll do mine!! Good luck with your exams ex!)**

ItaSaku29- (new reader...?)

Haru-Desu- (XD!! I totally love you and i think your a new reader! Ahh your so bubbly and I love the little faces ahh!!)

xImCharmedx- (update on tests: - - didn't finish first part of math finals...completed second tho...and i have a million study guides to do...yay me and aweee thanks :) your one of the readers that give me the fuzzies)

AnbuShadowFang- (heh don'y worry just keep reading)

alayneni- (XD not yet! lol I don't want to create a war in my story haha just torment on my readers minds...)

HinataMusaCorneliaRenee (XD heh heh. She gets an important role in this later on coughcoughtotallydidn'tgiveyouahintcoughcough)

xXSasuxSakuXx- (HURRAY FOR LONG COMMENTS :D! You're adorable I love it your like my 4 yr old niece who gets excited when she sees blues clues and a bowl of cookie crisp in front of the tv... heh heh like i said im like the crack fanfiction dealer to you guys. And I do plan on putting neji in later since he's related to Hinata.)

Kakashi500

Never-quits-Never-Backs-down- (yayy im "wubbed" :). hah yay I'll be looking forward to reading whatever you unleash into the world. Might I suggest a songfic first? You can use the plot of the song into making the fic about sasuxsaku -my first fic on here was Will You Let Me Go, Sakura and it was based on the 3 doors down song will you let me go.)

kt.1z.awesome- (XD I actually want to major in psychology soooo heh...)

kurai hi- ( my lovely reader who contact me you truly flatter me!)

Namine-sama- (heh heh i told you im terrible)

sasusaku779

Lady Sayomi- (SAYOMI-CHAN :D! One of the readers who've been consistent and loveable...and I don't know the hardest part of doing this is the beginning it, but once I get it going it just flows :) )

Savannah

sasuTenkawaii (new reader and thank you!!)

xXSnow.FoxXx (new reader!!)

...

Drake Hellion

cutebutweirdlucy18- (japanese isn't as hard as every makes it out to be but prolly cuz I'm part japanese...Idk. just watch anime and listen to the japanese and write some of the words down so you'll be able to pick up bits and pieces AH YOUR FOREIGN!! here were completely opposite. We dont have school in the summer so I'm almost done :) )

amyXD- (YOU WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS MY RANDOM-balloon- READER!! AH YOUR SO LOVEABLY RANDOM I LOVE IT AMY-CHAN!! XD!)

minniemousemom

HoshikoK

Miss Aerith- (O.O THEY WILL BE GAY! mine are next week till the last day of school...yayy plz don't leave me I'll be sad!)

benswife

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"Gomen, Sakura-chan." Naruto murmured under his breath making Sakura turn to him with a smile. "What is there to be sorry about?" she asked cheerfully.

"If I hadn't come in here Hinata-chan wouldn't have freaked out…and she wouldn't have hurt you…" he replied guiltily. But his voice trailed off when Sakura put a hand on his shoulder and looked up at him.

"Don't be so silly, Naruto. You helped her get her voice back!" Sakura exclaimed with a grin. "Whatever triggered her memory shocked her enough to get her it back. If you hadn't come in here she'd probably still be mute. Now all we have to do is wait for her to wake up. Then we can help Gaara!"

"But…your hands…"

The pinkette looked down at her hands, right below the knuckles, were oozing crimson and finally acknowledged the stinging pain. But she ignored it, and put up a front for him. "These cuts were only small sacrifices so Hinata wouldn't inflict pain on herself. It doesn't even hurt!"

"Are you sure Sakura-chan? They sure do look painful…" Naruto replied doubtfully. She turned her attention to the cart next to the heiress's bed and grabbed a bottle of cleansing alcohol and some gauze to clean the wounds.

She shook her head. "Sometimes wounds look worse than they appear. Besides, compared to what these two have been through this is nothing."

Sakura hissed under her breath, wincing at the cool liquid hitting the wounds painfully. Quickly wiped the wounds clean and blew on them before turning to him with a grin. "See? All better."

"I guess your right…you're amazing Sakura-chan." Naruto admitted quietly. "You willingly let Hinata hurt you so she wouldn't hurt herself…you're going to become an amazing doctor."

The two smiled at each other for a moment before Shikamaru came rushing into the room. "What's going on?" he demanded. Obviously he had heard the scream from wherever he was and came to see what the commotion was all about.

The smiles on their faces didn't disappear as Sakura filled him in. "Hinata got her voice back with Naruto's help. His appearance struck a memory, but it took a lot out of her so she's currently resting."

Shikamaru spoke in awe. "Naruto…?"

The man grinned sheepishly. "I guess so…" but his voice trailed off when Shikamaru gave him a pleased pat on the back. "I'm proud of you two." But he paused; noticing the fresh wounds on the back of Sakura's hands. "By the looks of it you helped too, Sakura. Until she wakes up I want at least one of you to watch over her."

The two didn't ask questions but nodded obediently. "Ousu (**a/n: sort of like right! Or yes sir/ma'am**)!" but a question popped in Sakura's head. Shikamaru wasn't with Hinata as he normally was. If he wasn't with her, where was he?

"Ne, Shikamaru, why weren't you in here with Naruto?" Sakura asked. Automatically she saw a bit of hesitation prior to his response. "…I had some business to take care of up in Kaito's office. No big deal."

'_He's lying…I'll have to talk to him later about this.' _Sakura thought before he continued. "But now that that's taken care of, I have to get back to work. It's troublesome, but I'll be done soon; in time for you two to prepare for the ball."

"Shikamaru- if Naruto and I are going to the ball does that mean you'll be staying behind to watch Hinata and Gaara?"

"Ma ne," Shikamaru replied softly. "I have no interest in attending the ball, especially if I have people to take care of. If Gaara and Hinata awake, though, I'll attend the ball because I don't trust leaving them alone with a guard, but don't count on it. Now, if you'll excuse me." And without waiting for their reply he left the two and shut the door behind him.

"I don't think it's fair that he should be left here if Hinata and Gaara don't wake up." Sakura muttered quietly. "Don't worry about him, Sakura-chan. He thinks women are 'troublesome' anyway. If the two DID end up waking up he'd end up leaving the ball early anyway."

"Still…Shikamaru works hard everyday…he might actually enjoy himself if he's given the chance." She protested quietly. "We have to think of a way for him to go to the ball and actually have fun for a chance, Naruto."

"But why, Sakura-chan? He already said he didn't want to go-"

"That's not the point! He needs some excitement in his boring life! When was the last time you saw him out of the infirmary actually doing something-excluding the times where everyone was required to be at?"

Naruto cupped his chin thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it it's been awhile…" his voice trailed off when he saw her eyes spark with excitement. "Exactly! That's why we need to get him out of here, no matter what! Will you help me?"

Though he pretended to contemplate this in his head, deep down Naruto knew he would never be able to resist a request from the tiny pink-haired woman in front of him. "I guess so…" he replied with a mischievous grin. Sakura returned it. "Arigato. Now here's what we do…"

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"_Sasuke where are you taking me?" giggled a pink-haired woman as she was led-blindfolded- down a secret passage way by the raven-haired man. "You'll see." He replied quietly as he held her wrist gently._

_When they reached their destination he quickly undid the blindfold. She gasped and looked around. "Where…" then she gasped as he eyes turned a bloody crimson; completely different from his normally obsidian-eyes. "Y-Your eyes!"_

"_This is the secret of Uchiha castle." Sasuke explained, looking out at the large, moonlit lake. He met innocent green eyes. "Why are you showing me this?"_

_He held her close to his chest. "I'm trusting you with the secrets of my clan." The man smirked when she still seemed puzzled. "I-I still don't understand…"_

"_It's the same as trusting you with my life."_

"_But why me? Why trust me with your life?" Sakura asked, almost frustrated now. The man scoffed before taking one of her hands and kneeling before her she gasped. "Because you're the woman I want to entrust my secrets with. Stay here with me…as Uchiha Sakura."_

"_S-Sasuke I don't know what to say…" the pinkette murmured in utter shock. "Then just say yes." Sasuke replied with a pleading look in his now scarlet colored eyes._

_A bright smile curled at her lips, but something along the lines of realization flickered in her eyes. Her lovely face fell as she shook her head; pulling Sasuke up to meet her eyes. Tears streamed down her face. "I can't…I want to, but I can't. I have to become a doctor and find my father…I'm sorry Sasuke but I can't marry you."_

Suddenly, Sasuke's eyes shot open at the sound of knocking at his door. He turned his head to look at the door. "Uchiha-sama, please awake. You are needed in the great hall for final preparations."

Irritably he sat up. Would he ever be able to sleep peacefully anymore? Even while he would sleep, the pink-haired woman never failed to leave him. The voice in his head snickered at him. _You think about her, dream about her, and want to be around her._ _So why don't you just admit that you're completely in love with her already, baka?_

Sasuke ran a hand through his spiky raven locks as he rose to get dressed. His mind wandered back to his time with the pink-haired woman and it made him smile.

But the dream he had experienced that had first been heartfelt consequentially turned into his worse nightmare; being rejected by the one woman he opened his heart to.

But the worst part was that he even trusted her enough to show the secret of his clan to…

Sasuke shook his head. If something like that were to happen in real life he wasn't sure what he would do.

'_Maybe if you try you can make her realize that her home is here in Konoha she'll stay here with you, baka. Besides, it was only a dream.'_

'_It'd be selfish if I asked her to stay with me. She has goals to fulfill; people to find.' _

'_How can I inhabit the same mind as someone as brainless as you?'_

Sasuke grunted at this insult. Was he brainless for being realistic? He couldn't imagine the consequences or what he would have to do to her if she were to be shown his clans secrets but denied his proposal…

When he was fully dressed he stared back at his reflection on the glass of his window. It was Sakura's birthday and the night of the ball where he would announce that he was involved with the pink-haired woman. But his dream only gave him a mixture of uneasiness and confusion. And the unrelenting thunderstorm wasn't helping his mood either.

It was going to be a long day…

But little did Sasuke know just how long the day would be.

(**You guys are probably just as tired of waiting for the finale as much as I am with writing in the fillers, SO as my gift to you guys and HoshikoK I'm going to skip ahead and save you guys the trouble of skipping most of the fillers altogether. On with the good part!**)

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Sasuke let out a sigh as he rested against a wall. He had just slipped away from the group of men needing his final saying on a dish in the kitchen. Several hours had passed by and the raven-haired boy hadn't gotten a minute to himself.

First, he was dragged to the halls where miraculously hundreds of candles lit the halls intricately. When he approved of this he was dragged to the doors and the carpets that had been lain down and were embroidered with all the countries and nations attending the ball.

Next, he was led to the great hall which was still being set up. Directly across from the large hall held a scarlet red curtain that held the Uchiha crest. Something large with many crystals in the middle of the ceiling was hung above their heads. There were long tables on the far sides of the room-being used for the food that would be brought out at sundown; around the time the guests would appear.

Unfortunately, he had to be escorted out for many things still had to be inserted in the room. So he was sent to the kitchen.

To his surprise, Gai didn't need any approval of the food which had all been completed and set out as far as the eye could see. The men had just finished cooking the dishes that had taken 3 days to prepare and complete.

Which gave him the opportunity to escape being dragged around for awhile. _'I am NEVER going to host another ball again…' _he thought to himself irritably. Because of all the preparation Sasuke hadn't had time to ready Sakura's present.

In fact, he hadn't caught a glimpse of the flower at all and hoped he would have time to see her at all tonight. It was, after all, her 18th birthday.

But Sasuke wasn't the only one that was busy. Sakura also was busy with preparation. She and Naruto had confronted Yoroichi and Fuuyuki with the predicament Shikamaru was in and agreed to alternate for the night.

The blonde and the pink-haired woman also ran into Kiba and Akamaru who agreed to have Akamaru guard the heiress and the still unconscious red-haired man alongside the guards.

But as she finished this the emerald eyed woman watched Naruto being dragged away by a group of guards who needed the extra man-power for the completion of the ball. Then, she also watched herself being dragged away to be dressed for the ball.

"Eh?! But we still have couple hours!" Sakura protested as two guards confronted her about it. This meant she wouldn't be able to do anything until the ball begun. "We're sorry Haruno-san, but the women have arrived to dress you and informed us it would take the remaining time to get you prepped for your appearance as the guest of honor."

The pinkette sighed, realizing she wouldn't get anywhere by arguing with the two complied and followed them into the sun room where the four women from before greeted her. But Sakura noticed that one of the hopeful women almost looked reluctant with a deep regret in her eyes, but she dismissed this thought and allowed the women to work on her bit by bit.

It was going to be a long night.

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"Orochimaru-sama." Called Saito as he appeared at the doors to his office and shut them softly. "How long until the ball?" he asked without looking up from the file in front of him.

"A few hours. Last minute ornaments are being added into the great hall." The old man paused to walk over to the man. "What is it that you're looking at, Orochimaru-sama."

"It's a file that the blossom and an annoying red-headed boy found on me…it appears they found something that would've proven troublesome to me had it been read." He responded.

"How did you get possession of such a file if Gaara-san and Sakura found it?" Saito found himself blurting out. Only then did he realize his mistake; he had accidentally revealed his name.

His evil smile appeared on his face. "That reminds me. You haven't met one of the two most loyal subordinates I have…" his monstrous eyes wandered up to the ceiling. Saito found himself doing the same and clutched his chest in fear; nearly having a heart attack when he noticed the head surfacing out of the ceiling.

"Saito, meet my loyal spy Kabuto."

But little did the three realizing that there was another person in their presence in a soundproof passageway deep within the walls. _'Yakushi Kabuto…so he's the spy…I should've known.' _But Kaito suppressed his shock and continued to listen intently.

"You mean…_the _Yakushi Kabuto? The son of the late but most elite Konoha medic?" Saito asked in complete shock. There had been rumors that this man had been responsible for his father's death and had disappeared shortly after. But who could've predicted that he would join Orochimaru, of all people?

"My reputation never fails to surprise, ne?" the man smiled, his voice sounding mysteriously gentle and harmless. _'If this man is working under Orochimaru he's taken hundreds of lives using his medical experience…' _ he thought, reminding him just how crazy this man was.

"But onto more important matters…Gaara is his name huh?" Something in his monstrous in his eyes gleamed, and it made him uneasy. "Tell me what you know about him."

"I…don't know much about him, in fact no one knows much about him. He has amnesia and appeared at our gates recently. Uchiha-sama took him in-"

"I believe he was under Sakura-san and Shikamaru-san's care." Kabuto added, noting Saito's hesitation. Kaito swore mentally. If Kabuto knew the Gaara's whereabouts, he knew one of the secret passageways leading to Hinata and the red-headed man's room.

He needed to warn someone; anyone before it was too late…but he had to know what exactly had Gaara and Sakura found on the monstrous man and what his intentions were.

"Excellent, Kabuto…" the man hissed; pleased with the spectacled man's finding. "Once the ball begins to commence we're going to have to pay a little visit to this red-headed menace…"

'_I think I'm going to be held responsible for another civilian's death…' _Saito thought gravely before the man held up the file. "You hold remorse in your eyes. But I'm sure that will all by wiped clean once you realize just how much trouble this man would cause me if he were left…unharmed.."

Quickly the old man scanned over the file and his eyes widened. "Understand?" Orochimaru asked in a dangerously creepy tone. He nodded slowly. "Hai…but who will be the one to…get rid of him?"

This made him and Kabuto cackle. "Get rid of him?" he repeated. "That could jeopardize my plans! I'm merely going to…heal him."

"Orochimaru-sama?" But the look in this evil man's eyes told him that his intentions were far from benevolent.

Kaito realized that for now he would have to leave so he could find Gaara before it was too late. But he would return later to retrieve the file. _'I have to act fast and carefully or this will be my last night in Uchiha castle alive.' _

And silently he hurried off to the infirmary.

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Finally the preparations were complete and guests world-wide entered Uchiha castle, staring in awe. Miraculously the two remaining hours had been grueling and a hassle but thanks to the many inhabitants of the castle it wasn't entirely impossible.

"Remarkable…Konoha truly is a beautiful village." Commented a man from the Tea Country. "It's almost as remarkable as these getups! Konoha is truly creative. Who would've thought of wearing "ballroom gowns" for the women or "tuxedos" for the men?" commented an outspoken woman from the Star Village.

"Uchiha-sama, please get ready to greet your guests." Informed a guard as he peeked open the doors to the great hall that had been transformed into the ball room.

Sasuke was impressed with how hard everyone had worked. At first, the great hall was filled with various tables and miscellaneous items, but now it had been lit up by a gigantic crystallized lamp- he later discovered it was called a chandelier- hanging from the ceiling magnificently.

On the far wall on the other side of the room hung the Uchiha crest, covering a door. On a stage held a symphony (**a/n: just thought I'd throw that in XD**) that would begin playing once the guests arrived. The food had been lain out moments ago (merely taking 3 mins tops; compliments of Gai) and everyone had been dressed miraculously fast- including the Uchiha himself.

But the ball, his guests and the events about to happen around him, only one thing was on his mind, and it bothered him. Where was Sakura? She was the guest of honor yet he hadn't caught a glimpse of her all day. And anxiety was building in the pit of his stomach as he ran his finger over the object in his pocket. Would she like her gift? What would her reaction be?

But his thoughts were interrupted as the door slid open and his guests flew in. When they noticed the raven-haired man standing in the middle of the room they stopped; crowding around him.

His signature, calm and collected expression became plastered on his face as he spoke; reading himself for the longest sentence he would have spoken all night. "Welcome, men and women of all countries. I am Uchiha Sasuke, the heir to the Uchiha throne and current leader of Konoha." He paused to count all the women suddenly appearing around him; gawking at him and scanning his well-toned chest that was hidden in the strange dark blue suit he was forced to put on him.

"Please enjoy your time here. May we have everlasting peace tonight." Silently he took a breath. Kami he hated speeches. The guests began to clap and the women chatted amongst themselves, particularly about the "handsome raven-haired prince". But Sasuke had other matters to think about.

He scanned the room; hoping to find the uniquely pink-haired woman that mysteriously made his heart leap out of his chest when he was close to her…but of course, he would never admit that. He was an Uchiha after all.

Unfortunately, for the next hour or so he was surrounded by a swarm of lustful, eager women who asked him millions of pointless, random, and PERSONAL questions.

"Uchiha-sama don't you get tired of living up to your reputation as the heart-of-ice prince?"

"Uchiha-sama your hair is so unusually spiky-n-not like I don't like it but- I'm not trying to be obsessed or anything but…err…"

"Uchiha-sama have a drink with me!"

"Uchiha-sama when will you take on a wife?

"Uchiha-sama! Uchiha-sama!!"

As another half hour passed by Sasuke believed he was in hell until the sound of a large gong startled the guests and turned their attention to a group of guards, servants and a few elders standing in front of the large red Uchiha crest hanging from the wall. Gai and Lee shot through the other double doors with a gigantic cake and quickly set it on the table, waiting for the elder to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming here tonight regardless of the dreadful weather, but we would like you to welcome our guest of honor and current medic, who turned of age today…Haruno Sakura!"

Sasuke's quietly heart leaped at the sound of her name and watched surprisingly as the crest rose, revealing a large door. The guards pulled the doors aside revealing four women standing in front of her.

The women stepped aside with a smile and gasped filled the room. Even the young Uchiha's eyes bulged out of his head as he stared at the woman practically glowing from her beauty.

Her hair was tied up into a tight bun with a few strands falling on the side of her pretty face. The dress she had on was pure white and hugged every part of her body and was designed to show her bare, creamy skinned neck. But what captivated them the most was that the dress wasn't overly puffed as some of the womens' were but thin and layered intricately.

She truly shone among the crowd.

"Kami…" he murmured under his breath as his obsidian orbs met her guiltless emerald ones.

Suddenly he found her in front of him, a radiant smile plastered on her pouty, rosy lips. Sasuke scanned every part of her face; finding his lips parted slightly as he stared at her. Then idly found himself hearing her ask-to the women's outrage and disappointment:

"May I have this dance, Uchiha Sasuke?"

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"Gaara, please awake!" Kaito whispered quietly to the sleeping man. He had snuck into the room and noted that there were guards outside, but no sign of Shikamaru.

'_He must be at the ball by now…'_ he thought quietly. Then, he thanked the stars that the man started to stir in his sleep as his eyes fluttered open.

"K-Kaito…" Gaara murmured quietly. "Gaara, you must get up we have to leave! You're in grave danger-"

"My head…it hurts …?" he mumbled, completed disoriented. "Orochimaru- the new adviser plans to harm you, harm Sasuke! If you don't leave things will become incredibly troublesome!"

"The others…?"

Kaito sighed. They didn't have much time…how long had Gaara been asleep for?

"They're at the peace ball in the great hall. You recovered a memory and have been unconscious, from what Shikamaru told me." he responded calmly.

Gaara looked down hesitantly. The redheaded man's hands curled into fists, one cupping the other angrily. "I was working under Orochimaru…I…murdered people. My only purpose was to dispose of people who got in his way . He told me one day…to rape and murder the heiress of a powerful family," He looked over at Hinata who was sleeping.

Kaito paled. This was the most he had ever seen Gaara say, and the grave, guilty look on his face confirmed that this was true. But what bothered Kaito the most was that he had had a feeling that Gaara was linked to Hinata in some way. He had, after all, come a little before Hinata had appeared. It seemed too coincidental. "but… I couldn't do it…she said something-"

"Please inform me about it later. Right now I have to get you to safety…Orochimaru is plotting against Sasuke."

A mixture of pain and remorse was screaming in his eyes. Perhaps this was his punishment for murdering so many people? Then, suddenly, he became calm and collected. "He's ruined many lives including mine." Gaara told him quietly. "I'm…a monster…a monster of Sunagakure."

"Don't say such things-"

"And now that it's ruined there is no turning back from this...I'm sorry…Kaito." He whispered to him softly before a kunai pierced his body. Blood sputtered from his mouth as horror and pain filled his face.

A chuckle emitted from the shadows as Orochimaru, Kabuto and Saito appeared. "Excellent, Gaara. It appears you aren't as worthless to me as I had assumed." The man praised as he walked over to them and pulled the kunai from his body painfully slow.

"Are you surprised, Kaito-**san**? Don't be, for with the return of his memories the guilt the Hyuuga had placed inside him did as well." Orochimaru explained. "It's a good thing I had come beforehand to catch you in the act. I had a feeling you wouldn't leave...such a stubborn, troublesome old man."

Saito looked down, unable to look at the man he had once looked up to. Only now he was going to watch him die. '_You should've left when you had the chance, Kaito-san…'_

"You…won't get away with this…" Kaito cursed as he fell to his knees and landed on his side. His body began to grow numb as Gaara stared at him emotionlessly. "Since you're going to die I might as well tell you what I remembered…"

"_P-Please!! Why are you doing this?!" She choked as a strong hand wrapped around her neck to keep the poor girl from screaming for help._

_Wearing an expressionless face he answered her. "I'm entitled to." He replied. Hinata struggled to lean her head up and stare up at him, unable to open both eyes. She was beginning to lose consciousness. _

"_By…hurting other people..? D-Don't you know what's right or wrong…?" she asked below him. The look in her lavender eyes made the man look away and slightly loosen his grip. "I-I…"_

"_P-Please! D-Don't do this!!" Hinata pleaded again as Gaara climbed on top of her; pinning her down on the grass by her forearms. The red-haired man scanned over the woman. She truly was beautiful in her innocence._

"_You don't want to do this, do you, onii-san (__**a/n: it's not uncommon for people to call strangers this. In the Naruto series he called Haku 'nee-san'-when he first met him-even though he doesn't really mean sister.**__)…?" she asked quietly making him flinch. _

"_Your screaming it, in your eyes, d-deep down, aren't you, onii-san?" Hinata asked once more, her voice rising when he jerked his head away from her. He was completely unaware that the Hyuuga's were one of the two clans that had the uncanny ability to read someone's eyes. Perhaps even read their soul._

"_Be quiet…"_

"…_Y-You don't really want to work f-for this evil man, ne?" _

"_I SAID BE QUIET!" he yelled, which he rarely did as he struck her face violently. He watched her shriek as he applied pressure to her one of her arms; snapping the bone instantly. _

_But this didn't stop her. She truly was the heiress of her clan. "Y-You…think of yourself as a monster, and you want to escape him…but you can't, can you…o..nii…san?" she asked, cringing in pain when he threatened to break her other arm._

"_Gaara…why are you letting this woman get to you?! Finish the job! She must not be kept alive!" Orochimaru hissed as he hovered over them, looking left and right cautiously. Though they were far out in a field in Konoha he wasn't sure if her screams could still be heard._

"_Please oniisan, d-d-don't…don't ignore…that voice…telling you that this is wrong…it's…the human…side of you." She told him weakly. The pain in her arm began to pulsate painfully throughout her entire body. It was almost unbearable, and for a second she believed she was dying._

_Something caught in Gaara's through as he stopped breathing. Everything this woman below him was saying was true, and the voice in his heart was pushed back so far it was only a whisper. Then, it grew louder until it was screaming. His body overflowed with guilt, and it made him scream in anguish._

_All the lives he had taken, all the families he broke, all the tears his victims shed…he was a monster._

_Then, Hinata eyes began to strain. They turned a pearl color before she pressed a hand against his stomach and with incredible force, he was thrown back. This woman was not human!_

_Suddenly, she jolted up and began sprinted away. Kabuto darted after her, but Orochimaru stayed, watching the man cringe in pain. "You have failed. Completely worthless. Didn't I warn you to never let go of the woman's hands? With one had alone she could murder an entire village with her power."_

_Gaara lifted his head to look at him. "Orochimaru-shishou-"_

"_You were __**nothing **__without me, NO ONE wanted you until I came along and you DARE disobey me, your master?!" spat the man above him, kicking his limp body and making him roll a few feet away from him. _

"_I can't hurt her, it's wrong…" He gasped as the man he called master crushed his foot down on Gaara's ribs who choked below him as massive amounts of pain erupted through his body. "After all the lives you have taken you __**dare **__preach to me what is__** right or wrong?!**__" he demanded._

"_Trash! You are nothing!" the man snarled at him as he kicked him once more, making him roll back onto his stomach. _

_As he lost consciousness the man whispered in his ear as he lifted him by his hair, seeing the crimson trickle down the side of his forehead to his chin from his skull- nearly crushed moments ago- and his mouth which was from having his ribs crushed so mercilessly_

"_**You are useless, incompetent. I have no use for you anymore." **__The man spat at him. He covered his face, and as he did from his closed eyelids Gaara saw a bright flash of light and felt a sharp pain emit through not his skull but his own brain and produced a blood curdling scream. The last thing he saw was the man walking away from him before he fell into a painful unconscious state._

Kaito looked horrified as he looked at the man who had just finished telling his memory. But remorse longer showed in the red-haired man's eyes. "No good…will come out of your decision…" he replied before he fell limp on the floor.

'_Goodbye…Kaito-san.' _He thought quietly before turning to Orochimaru. "Orochimaru-shisou what shall we do about this man's body?" he asked. The man grinned evilly. "_Saito _will take care of the body. But now onto other matters, my prized weapon…you shall continue you dispose of the people that stand in my way until there is only one…"

Without hesitation the man lowered his head grimly so his eyes were staring at the sheets. "Hai."

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Jealousy and hatred filled the air as the men and women of the neighboring countries looked at the almost perfect couple dancing happily in each other's arms. The two truly looked like they were a fairy tale.

"I never thought I would be here…like this…with you." Sakura mumbled as her arms tightened around his neck and her mouth was nuzzled on the neck of his tuxedo.

"Hn?" he asked, puzzled by her words. He felt her smile against his neck. "Well I know how you lived up to your reputation before you met me and I wasn't exactly fond of you either." Sakura explained quietly. As the two danced the pinkette noticed all the jealous couples looking at them.

"That was before. This is now." Sasuke replied simply as his hold on her waist tightened. Something inside her heart warmed with his gentle words.

When the song was over every broke away from each other and clapped for the symphony. And in the midst of the crowd Sasuke grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her away to the way she had entered.

"S-Sasuke what're you-"but he silenced her with a chaste kiss. "I want to give you your gift." He explained to her softly. Quietly she watched him take something out of her pocket and it made her gasp softly.

Sakura eyed the beautiful emerald pendant on a thin and delicate gold chain that Sasuke held in his hands. Her hands flew up to her mouth. "S-Sasuke…I…Kami…it's beautiful…"

The raven-haired man walked around her and draped the pendant around her neck. She shivered delightfully when the cool metal was placed on her neck.

Sakura turned around to look up at him. A gleam could be seen in her now watery eyes. "Arigato…Sasuke…."

A hand went up and wiped the single tear beginning to trickle down her cheek. "Why're you crying?"

She sniffled as she gave him a toothy smile. "I'm just so happy…no one's ever gotten me something so beautiful…I was too young and my mother didn't live long enough to see me mature. And my father…"

This time the young lord slinked an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him, cupped her chin with his other hand. He leaned forward so his lips were barely touching hers. When did he become so smitten with this woman?

"Don't mention him." He breathed. Sasuke watched her cheeks burn red with embarrassment as she stared into his obsidian eyes. "Sasuke…_'I'm falling in love with you more and more…with each passing minute I spend with you…'_" she thought lovingly as her hands snaked up to the sides of his face before standing on her tip toes to kiss him.

Sasuke fully wrapped his arms around her waist as he lifted her up, making her giggle. But the two's happiness didn't last long as a familiar voice growled at them.

"I should've known you would do this to me, Sakura.."

Quickly Sakura broke away to see Ino standing at the doors. Her blue eyes were filled with anger and betrayal. She was clenching her jaw and her fists as she stormed off.

"Ino!!" she yelled as she ran after her.

Sasuke watched the two before running off after them, hoping the angry blonde woman would stop and listen to Sakura. But what he didn't understand was why she was so angry?

"Ino please, I can explain!" Sakura cried as she ran after her blonde haired friend.

Ino didn't stop until she was outside in the rain before she spun around and struck Sakura angrily. The pinkette held her cheek as the rain drenched her dress and stared at her friends cobalt colored eyes that held betrayal. "You **lied** to me, Sakura. You **promised **me…"

"I didn't lie to you Ino-"

"Then why did YOU ask HIM to dance? Why were you dancing so contently with him?! Why the **fuck **were you kissing him?!"

Sakura felt her heart fall to the pit of her stomach.

As the thunder crackled Ino lowered her eyes, a bitter smirk curled at her lips. "I came here to wish you happy birthday, to hug you, to see how you were holding up because I loved you like a sister-but obviously you don't give a DAMN about me...I should've known you would do this…betray and break your promises to the people that love you…**You're no better than you're father **…" She murmured before she made her way down the muddy path back to the village.

"Ino, don't do this...It's not what you think- INO!!" Sakura cried before Ino had disappeared from her view and the rain became heavier and her tears were drowned. Sakura fell to her knees and hit the ground with a splash.

And at that moment she had just lost her best friend…

All because of him…

Uchiha Sasuke...

The man she saved...

The man who gave her the opportunity of a lifetime...

The man who opened her heart, and vice versa...

But most of all…the man she couldn't help but fall in love with.

"Sakura." Sasuke called as he appeared by her side. He put a hand on her shoulder lightly, but she jerked away, mumbling something as she stared down at the ground.

"Saku-"

"I SAID STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The bubblegum pink-haired woman screamed as she smacked his hand away. Her tears hidden but the pounding rain. The obsidian eyed man looked at her with desperation in his eyes. Just moments ago they were happy! She was cradled in his arms. Everything was so perfect… How did could things have gone wrong?

"Because of you…because of you I broke my promise to her! She even compared me to my **father**-"

"What did I do?" he demanded as she stood up.

"YOU MADE ME FALL FOR YOU!!" she yelled angrily, her breakdown as just barely audible as she stared down at the muddy ground. He was speechless as she continued you in a broken tone. "And because of that…I lost her friendship…my **only **true friendship-"

"Sakura I never meant for this to-"

"Save it!" She screamed over the icy rain drops beating the ground and the beautiful dress she had been wearing, and was now ruined along with her hair and make up. The crackle of thunder boomed above their heads, but neither jumped as they stared in each others' eyes.

"Why didn't you just let us be?! You should've let me go!" the pinkette demanded in a shaky voice. Her viridian eyes were filled with pain and sorrow; almost too much for him to bear. "I couldn't," Sasuke told her roughly, reaching out to her, but she backed away so all he could grasp was water. "Sakura I think I lo-"

"Stop-just stop!" She screamed again, covering her ears so she could drown out his words. "Stop trying to deny fate Sasuke! We don't live in the perfect fairy tale world where the poor girl lives happily ever after with the prince! The poor and the rich aren't meant for each other-"

"Don't say that-"he protested roughly but she shook her head. "I'm sorry…but this is goodbye. I'm leaving Uchiha castle tomorrow." She told him shakily as she hurried back inside the castle, leaving him confused, numb, and ripped in two.

Once again he had lost her, only this time, as he had feared before, he was losing her for good.

**TBC…**

**Heh sorry this is so late, but I hope this chapter was worth the wait! I'll try to have the next chapter up for you guys up by tues or weds so you guys can drink this in haha. :)**

**Till Nxt Time!!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	37. I've HAD It!

**Ha ha ha as bad as it sounds I absolutely loved your guys' reaction to all the drama in the previous chapter :). I even got a rise out of some of you coughcoughkt.1z.awesomecoughcough. But I did warn you, and I understand that I left a really bad cliffie, so I decided I'd try and right this as fast as possible and a little earlier for my loveable (yet currently emotionally disturbed) readers because I hate them as bad as the next person XD (yet I love to do it).**

**That and I'll be so extremely busy until Thurs, so I thought, "my readers have been so freaken awesome to me, so why not ACTUALLY upload a little early for them in honor of Memorial day?"  
**

**This chapter should lighten the mood (for) a little bit. :) (But only slightly)**

**BUT READ THE COMMENT BY YOUR NAME AND SAVANNAH'S FIRST!!  
**

**Special Thanks To:**

**Namine-sama- (XD you truly are one of my favorite readers. Haha. You're one of the reasons I wanted to update so soon.)**

**Never-quits-Never-backs-down- (. kyaaa I made my reader cry. Awe yay!! I'll be sure to read it when it comes out! Just keep me posted :D!)**

**QuietRiver- (XD heh. You shall see. You shall you shall. And I'm not sure but I did notice that I'm getting mad at how LONG this thing is! I might edit and cut out a few chapters once this is all done. But only if you guys want me too.)**

**Laxusclien4- (I actually have a strange urge to put Karin in this story, but I'm not sure how to really fit her in…yet. That was actually a pretty good idea though. Maybe you can use it in one of your own stories :). I'll be happy to read it.)**

**Rawriamabanana**

**xXSnow.FozXx**

**crispy geco-chan- (ahh my long comments. I live for these. And DON'T EVER SAY THAT :O! I care as much about my readers as I do getting these chapters up for you guys! You guys are the reason why I've been writing this for so long in the first place! You complete me online :). I actually do have ideas for writing, but I'm not sure. Some of it will be fiction, but some will sort of deal what I've gone through in my life. AHHH!! Crispy-chan XD! You're so cruel to your friends. Milk smells bad after awhile O.o…try something not liquid…y…like crackers or bananas…)**

**xXSasuxSakuXx- (XD sorry no can do. I love you guys but I mean I'm still terrible. And never ever assume on my wonderfully long and unpredictable roller coaster ride! Because just when you think that tunnel you're in is good, I'll make it drop directly down. Heh )**

**Haru-desu- (my cuddly reader :). I enjoy your cute-faced reviews. But a word of advice…don't break your computer :O)**

**Savannah- (You know hates a strong word X). And honestly guys, you have to think about it. Sasuke IS an UCHIHA and when does he EVER give up when there's something he wants? Take his revenge for example in the manga/anime. THINK ABOUT IT –just gave you guys a hint to ease the pain…heh See? I went to church yesterday. I'm not that terrible.)**

…**.**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- (You guys might actually beat me with this next pairing. But after going back and watching Shippuden I just had to do it XD.**

**Cutebutweirdlucy18- (two months or so. And I never said he "stopped breathing" XD. DON'T ASSUME O.O! Heh heh heh. Just read Savannah –3 people above you- to find a hint to later chapters. I'm not entirely horrible. I just wanted to see how bad I could get a rise outta you guys. I love it XD!)**

**ItaSaku29- (X3 awweee thank you mah new reader I hope you'll stick by me till the end!)**

**Sasusaku779- (it's like crack for the fanfiction readers. And I'm the drug dealer. but you're truly adorable to wear black because of my story. I think I'm flattered in a strange way…)**

**XsequanachanX- (YOU'RE A NEW READER!! AHH!! GUYS SERIOUSLY ****TELL ME THIS****!! Please stick by me till the end, I promise to make it worth your while with the sacrifice of a couple chairs…because I'll mess with your mind :) )**

**amyXD- (O.o –holds up stick of dynamite- nani? Oh and I know that Asuma COUGHCOUGHDIESCOUGH. But yes she's my fav girl)**

**WooHooDork**

**Drake Hellion**

**Kt.1z.awesome-(YOU'RE OFFICIALLY MY FAVORITE READER!! HAHA!! I seriously love you. Even if that was sort of mean I almost peed my pants XD. Heh I like cry from laughing when I read this…I don't know why. Maybe I am senile :). Read the reply next to Savannah's name (she's up -see the arrow- that way) to have some comfort :D.)**

**Oh.bonita (new reader!!)**

**Sakura the lover**

**Kurai hi**

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**SasuSaku13636- (don't be in denial, just keep reading. You shall get satisfaction. Haha)**

**Kakashi500**

**Minniemousemom**

**HoshikoK- (no problem :). You were the main motivation behind this chapter. Otherwise you guys would've had to wait. I hope you had a good birthday despite my heart breaking chapter.)**

**One2bLoved- (can't help it XD. It's the drug craving at the end of every chapter! And I do plan to have another story out after Rose is done. I created it before Will You Let Me Go, Sakura? And I Just Can't Let You Go, Sasuke! Was released, but I never put it on here. Look out for it, it'll be called Holding Her Last Breath: Just 3 Days)**

**Liljapangrl03**

**Miss Aerith- (NANI? You're working with kt?! :D yatta!! I knew I loved you guys!! Keep me updated about this and I'll be sure to be one of the first to R&R! :). Btw….would it KILL you to update YOUR story O.o? I mean it's unfair that you're depriving me of MY drug –your fanfiction-!)**

**Lito-pink-chihuahua (new reader! Your name made me laugh :). It's cute. Made me think of a Chihuahua with a pink sweater on and shivering.)**

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'_I'm sorry, but this is goodbye. I'm leaving Uchiha castle tomorrow.' _

The pink-haired woman's words replayed back in his head. And each time they hit him like a ton of bricks.

Fate truly was a cruel element in the world. Things were going great, but almost coincidentally Ino had appeared and ruined everything! But what pained him the most was the fact all the time he had spent with her, falling for her, **kissing **her was all for nothing.

Because she was choosing her friendship over him. Him! Uchiha Sasuke!

'_You're being selfish. Can you blame her? She's the first person she formed a bond with. Would it be possible to let someone like that go? Besides, you already said it would be selfish of you to keep her here without letting her fulfill her goals. Perhaps it's better this way?' _the voice in the back of his head asked calmly.

Sasuke grit his teeth angrily, ignoring the servants who had quickly run to dry him off. Yozu had sent them to order Sasuke to return immediately. He, after all, was the Lord. And how would they look if he suddenly disappeared in the midst of it?

But after his argument with Saku-no…the woman who had stepped into his life and then left just as quickly as she had come- he had no desire to do anything but crawl into his lonely bed and sleep forever.

As the young Uchiha heir glumly returned to his ball, Orochimaru and Kabuto watched him closely from the shadows; a smirk appeared on his face evilly as he laughed softly. "Now that the flower and Kaito have been taken care of…we shall commence the take over of the Uchiha kingdom…just like a domino affect."

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Saito dragged Kaito's motionless body through a hidden passage way and into the lunar room which he had stumbled upon many years ago.

"Forgive me…Kaito-san. I never meant for any of this to happen to you…it's just that I opposed how much you favored Uchiha-sa…no…Sasuke. He's much too young to rule a country let alone Konoha. Then Orochimaru came into the picture and offered everything I had hoped for and more! Though I'm not entirely for such cruel methods, I cannot oppose him-at least yet. He promises to give me power in the new kingdom he builds once Sasuke is out of the picture." The old man explained as he set the man down on the floor.

As he began to gather medicinal herbs to open up the man's robes and found the large open wound, oozing crimson on the Uchiha crested rug. He cringed at the sight, but then realized that though the wound was serious it not fatal and could easily be treated.

Gaara had failed to grant the old man death. But was it an accident? Orochimaru had absently told him once that up until the attack on Hinata he had never failed in killing the people he was ordered to.

'_I'm surprised he's still breathing…If it was intentionally fatal or not Kaito should be dead considering how old he is. His will to live and protect Konoha is truly remarkable.' _Saito thought.

Saito crushed the herbs with his hands quickly over the man's body so a pastel green liquid from the plant dripped onto the wound. Though he had kept it a secret for many decades he was quite skilled when working with medicinal herbs. But of course he would've had to train the troublesome pink-headed girl had he admitted this, so he decided to continue to keep it a secret.

"I don't know why I'm bothering trying to keep you alive…perhaps it's out of pity." He told the old man who was obviously in near comatose state. But with relief he watched steam emit from the spots where the strange green liquid had hit the wound and watched it begin to close the wound slowly but surely.

After a few minutes of waiting he pressed the now mashed herbs onto Kaito's body. He spread it lightly over the still enflamed-but no longer open- gash before ripping part of the man's yukata (**a/n: top to a man's kimono like robes and hakama is the pants to it. Think of Inuyasha and his clothing if you don't know what I'm talking about XD**) and wrapping it around his waist.

'_I treated his wounds, but that doesn't mean he'll wake up anytime soon. Luckily this shall prove alright for me. There's no way anyone can enter here unless they're with someone of Uchiha blood or have had Uchiha blood on their hands…' _Saito thought staring at his hands for a second. He had once been one of the most trusted elder's by Uchiha Mikoto and had often accompanied her when she was pregnant with Sasuke and again when she was sickly.

When Mikoto had died she had left a note to him (that burned promptly after reading) that there were rooms only accessible if an Uchiha was by their side. For many years he was troubled by this, for the beautiful and young Mikoto's blood had been spilt on her death bed. The sickness that had plagued her had made her cough up a fatal amount of blood.

And although he would've never admitted to it, he had fallen in love with Mikoto after the many years he served her. So, when he was cleaning it off her cold, lifeless body, Saito touched her face and felt the warm liquid against his skin. Only then did he learn the sad loophole in her note; he had found out that they could also be accessed if the rare blood had ever gotten on another's hands.

After that the old man hated the sight of blood including the color red in general. It haunted him every day of his life for the Uchiha crest itself was a red and white fan.

As Saito made his way back to the passageway entrance that would take him to Orochimaru's office he looked back at the man he had saved and prayed that the evil men he was cohering with wouldn't see through his treason.

'_I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me one day, Kaito-san…but most of all, my dearest Mikoto-sama; for plotting against your son.' _ he thought before he hurried down the passage way and back to Orochimaru.

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_**You're just like your father…**_

The next morning Sakura awoke uncomfortably by jerking into a sitting position. The memories of last night even haunted her in her dreams. She was puffy-eyed and cold; absently realizing that she was still in the damp dress the women dressed her in. Her sheets were stained with various colors from her make-up that had been ruined by the rain and her tears. After her fight with Sasuke Sakura had retreated to her room and asked not to be disturbed; only keeping it together long enough to put up a front.

The guards complied with her request but were baffled by it. No, they decided, thinking reasonably; that she was probably just tired and didn't want to be bothered. After all it WAS her birthday. But when they strolled by her room they could've sworn they heard the woman's muffled sobs.

But inside her room the broken woman _was _crying. In fact, she was crying so hard and loud she had to shove a pillow into her mouth and bite down to keep the guards from hearing her.

She sneezed and shivered before stripping out of the dress and putting on set of fresh undergarments and a kimono. Painfully she rubbed one of her swollen eyes. This was the hardest she had probably cried in a long time. Perhaps in her entire life.

'_This is goodbye. I'm leaving Uchiha castle tomorrow.'_

Somehow, the tears fell from her eyes once more. Of course it wasn't fair to blame Sasuke for Ino's anger. He was unaware of her promise to her, ignorantly falling in love with her without knowing of the consequences.

She should've told him.

But would he have listened? Would he have cared about what the blonde woman had said? He WAS the unruly Uchiha after all. Uncontrollable like the fire being fanned by his clan. Perhaps it was better this way.

Quietly she packed her bags. Her mind screamed at her, mentally slapped her. Hell, even got down on their knees and begged her to be reasonable, but all the reason left in her had died last night.

'_I have to get things right with Ino.' _Sakura thought to herself as she picked up a brush from the floor. _'She I owe her family everything. It's not fair if I stay here. If I hadn't gone out to get that pregnancy test for her I would've never ran into Sasuke and…none of this would've been possible.'_

She smiled bitterly. _'But I've learned a lot from this experience.'_ And that was true. Sakura learned that not all men were what Ino would call "douche bags" but could be understanding and sweet. She also learned a great deal about medicinal herbs and treating patients under her care. But most of all she learned compassion and how to open up her heart.

'_It's time I left anyway. Hinata finally got her voice back anyway. That was the whole reason why I came here in the first place…it wasn't for Sasuke, it wasn't for creating bonds. This was to become a doctor.'_

As she gathered her bags Sakura walked out of her room and confronted the guard. "Takeyuki-san, could you please escort me down to the castle entrance? I decided I'm leaving Uchiha castle."

Shocked by this statement the somewhat handsome man looked at her with a puzzled expression. "H-Haruno-san…if you don't mind me asking…why would you want to do such a thing?"

"I've…overstayed my welcome." The pinkette responded while looking up at him and gave him a forced smile. Only then did the guard see her tear-stained face, the forced and broken smile, and still partially swollen eyes. What had happened at the ball to make break her this way? Had someone insulted her? Perhaps she had gotten into a fight with the lord?

"I…" he paused to look down at the woman's near-breaking point expression underneath her collected features. How selfish would he be if he begged her to stay? Though he would never admit it, and she didn't seem to know, there didn't seem to be a guard in Uchiha castle that hadn't been infatuated by Sakura's innocent beauty and charm.

"If that is what you wish, Haruno-san."

The guard escorted her quietly down to the entrance and grabbed her bags. She gave him another forced smile when he offered to get a kago ready for her. "Thank you, but no. I prefer to walk to town. I want to burden anyone here anymore." She paused to look at the way of the infirmary. The halls were still quiet. She wondered if Shikamaru was up yet?

But before Takeyuki could protest she turned to him. "I'm going to say goodbye to Hinata before I go. You don't have to wait for me if you don't want to-"

"Please. I will, Haruno-san. Take your time." He replied with a warm smile. Unfortunately she couldn't return it without it being fake. And that would be rude. Her mouth turned upward into what was a failed attempt at a smile before hurrying down the long hallway.

The man watched her retreating figure. _'Haruno-san…'_

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"Hinata, are you awake?" she whispered to the girl turned on her side. She watched the woman with midnight blue hair turn to look up at her with an innocent lavender stare. "Sa…kura…-san?" she asked hesitantly. She had been without a voice for so long it was almost difficult to talk and some of her words came out scratchy.

Sakura gave her a sad smile. "I'm glad you have your voice back, Hinata." She whispered, trying to make some kind of small talk. After all, this would probably be the last time she would see her. Ever.

But the heiress seemed to sense that all was not well. "…Are you leaving?" she asked, almost disheartened. The emerald eyed girl stared at her with surprise. "How did you-"

This time it was Hinata's turn to give a sad smile. "P-People always have u-undeniable gloom in their eyes w-when they're leaving a place they a-aren't ready to leave." She explained in simplest terms.

Sakura looked down at her feet. "I broke a promise, and I have to make amends. Besides," she paused to grab Hinata's hands. "The whole point of me coming here was to treat you. And now that you got your voice back I can leave."

Silence waved over them before the heiress asked, "…S-So you're just leaving without saying goodbye to the others?"

Sakura thought about this and nodded her head while her mind screamed:

'_SHE'S RIGHT! WHAT ABOUT SASUKE?! WHAT ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU' GUYS HAVE BEEN THROUGH?! DOESN'T HE DESERVE AN APOLOGY?! EVEN A GOODBYE BEFORE YOU LEAVE?!'_

"You're the only person. It'd be too painful to say goodbye to the others." She replied quietly. And she was sure Sasuke would try to stop her as well.

B-But you're in love with Sasuke-sa-"

"Don't say his name!" She interjected shakily as she closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to hear his name let alone think about him. Otherwise she would burst into tears. And that was something her pride wouldn't allow her to do.

"Arigato…S-Sakura-san." Hinata told her timidly, which made Sakura look up at the girl who was smiling. "…I owe you my life. You, Shikamaru-kun, Kiba-kun, Naruto-kun-"

"Please don't thank me. You helped me more than I did you. I'll miss you Hinata." She replied softly before leaving the room. But as the door closed Hinata's eyes fell along with her smile. _'I hope she realizes she's making a mistake by leaving before it's too late…'_

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When Sakura and Takeyuki came to escort her outside she looked up at the sky. It had stopped raining. Was it because she was leaving Uchiha castle?

She turned back at the man. "Thank you. For everything."

"Haruno-san- does that mean you're leaving without saying goodbye?" the guard asked hesitantly. But the pinkette gave him another fake smile as she nodded. "They probably wouldn't take letting me go so lightly. Especially Naruto. He'd probably throw a fit if he saw me leaving like this."

After a few more words were exchanged Sakura grabbed her bags and headed towards the town. But Takeyuki called her back. "…Haruno-san, you're always welcome here at Uchiha castle…I hope to see you return to us one day."

She did her best to smile this time, succeeding only partially, before she turned her back on him, the other guards, Uchiha castle, and Sasuke all together.

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE?!" Naruto yelled in complete shock when he came to see Hinata. The woman didn't meet his eyes after telling him this. "S-She just told me that she overstayed her welcome and it w-was time to leave-"

"SAKURA-CHAN CAN'T BE GONE- SHE JUST CAN'T!!" he interjected in denial.

"Calm down, Naruto!" Shikamaru told him as he walked in. He had heard him yelling even from the hallway and was just as shocked as he was. "It was her choice to leave."

Naruto looked down. "Still…" his voice trailed off. It was unlike the pink-haired woman to run off like this, especially without thinking. She was a sensible woman.

"It's troublesome, but perhaps it was time for her to leave-"

"Are you saying that we were better off without her?!"

"I didn't say that." Shikamaru replied quietly. "But her purpose was to help Hinata, not to stay here."

Naruto fell silent. "but she didn't even say goodbye…" Naruto mumbled under his breath as he looked down at the cart he was clenching. "N-Naruto-kun-"

"I mean, Sakura-chan was the best thing that happened to Uchiha castle...so why the hell would leave like that!!"

And it was true; nothing could replace the touch of a woman in the men-bound castle. She has goals to fulfill. It would be selfish of us to ask her to come back unless it was on her own accord."

"Aah, she left an everlasting impression on us. Perhaps it was even better for her to leave so quietly-"

"How could you say that?!" the blonde snarled, spinning around to face the calm pony-tailed man. "If you saw her leaving, do you honestly think you would allow her to? Besides, despite all the bonds she created here it would be too troublesome to explain herself to every single one."

The blonde was at a loss of words, and after a few minutes of silence Shikamaru decided to leave. There was still business to take care of. Which left Naruto and Hinata.

At first, the two were silent, every now and then they would glance at each other, but no words would be exchanged. "N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata asked quietly.

He grunted in response. "How…do you feel about Sakura-chan?" this made him look up at her from where he was sitting. "…When I first met her, I thought she was really pretty, just like all the other women. I never thought I'd meet a girl that wouldn't DIE if Sasuke-teme looked at her."

She stayed silent as he went on. "Then I spent the day with her, and I really started to like her, but…at the ball last night…when she was dancing with Sasuke…I realized that maybe…she's better off with him?"

Hinata felt her cheeks burn pink. He didn't sound like his normal, never-failingly chipper self but hurt and vulnerable. Did he care so much about Sakura that he would stop pursuing her romantically for her happiness? He truly was a selfless and noble person…"I…admire you, Naruto-kun." She said softly. Though it was barely audible the blonde was able to hear it.

"Eh? Why's that Hinata-chan?"

"W-Well…because you really like Sakura-san, but because you know Sasuke-san will treat her right you…" but Hinata couldn't finish as looked up to see him grinning. "I never said Sasuke-teme would treat her right! Sakura-chan told me once that she didn't like him or even that he's lord. But she looks like she'd be happier with him than me."

The heiress nearly fell out of her bed. He was simply going by looks? Maybe he wasn't as noble and selfless as she had thought…

"Besides," he decided to add, walking over to the window and opening it to let in the morning breeze and sun's bright rays along with the fresh scent of dew. "Sasuke may be a bastard, a selfish, stubborn son of a-"

"Naruto-kun!"

"Err…but my point is Sakura-chan's the first girl that actually had her own idea about him beforehand. She got to know the _real _Sasuke like I did." He turned to look out the window this time. "I can't really explain it, but I think I love Sakura-chan. Only more like a sister now."

Hinata's lavender eyes stared in his direction, and they widened in awe for the blonde seemed to be shining in the sunlight with his gallant, ditzy grin and spiky blonde hair. _'N-Naruto-kun…looks so cool…' _she thought, which made her blush and look down at her hands which were squirming wildly.

"Hinata-chan, since you have your voice back does…that mean you'll be leaving soon too?" Naruto asked almost sadly. The woman thought about this. It hadn't crossed her mind once since she had come here. Perhaps the stories that her cousin Neji had told her about the Uchihas were wrong after all?

"M-Most likely. I-I haven't given it much thought-"

"Wait! Hinata-chan! Where's Gaara?!" Naruto interjected, just now noticing that the red-headed man was no longer lying in his bed. Had he been gone all this time?

But as he said his name Hinata's head suddenly thrusted back as her eyes began to strain and their normal plum color turned a pearly one. That's when she saw…

_A man was lying on the floor covered in blood. A kunai lied beside him while two pairs of feet stood on either side of him. "No good…will come out of your decision…" he murmured before his eyes began to dilate. _

_Was this man dead? _

"_Orochimaru-shisou what shall we do about this man's body?" a man with a cold voice asked, only it sounded very familiar. The man grinned evilly. "Saito will take care of the body. But now onto other matters, my prized weapon…you shall continue you dispose of the people that stand in my way until there is only one…"_

"_Hai."_

"Hi…ch….Hina…cha…n…HINATA-CHAN!!" Naruto told her as he shook her violently. Finally, the vision stopped and she took in a deep gulp of air. Naruto was practically on top of her with wide, worried cobalt eyes.

"Someone…someone d-d-d-ied…someone…" she stammered as she shook. Why were these visions coming to her? Had it already happened? Was it going to happen like in her other premonitions? If only Sakura was here…

"Whoa what're you talking about?"

"Shikamaru…please get…Shikamaru…" she told him still shakily. As Naruto ran to get Shikamaru Hinata thought about the images she saw. Orochimaru and Saito were involved in a killing along with another man. But what scared her the most was the fact that everything seemed so familiar; as if she had been in the room where this man had been or was going to be stabbed.

Was or would she be present when someone was going to die?

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Sakura took a deep breath as stood outside the flower shop. Every part of her body seemed to be shaking internally, and she couldn't move.

_**You're just like your father.**_

What if Ino didn't forgive her? She had grown up with her long enough to know that she never forgave the people that hurt her. But would Sakura be an exception? The pinkette had been her friend for as long as she could remember. Would she let something go over a boy she would never get and a broken promise?

But she was violently brought out of her thoughts as Ino's voice yelled through the shop. "If you're going to come inside just do it! You're shooing away all my customers."

Slowly, Sakura pulled back the door, hearing the soft jingle of the bell above the door. The pinkette found the blonde woman with her back turned to her- a certain giveaway that she was P-I-S-S-E-D- and was angrily watering her flowers.

Silently she stood by the door, praying that she wouldn't throw a tantrum and throw the watering can at her.

"Well? You obviously came here for something. You aren't a plant. Spit it out and then you can be on your way…" She snapped without looking at her.

"I…just wanted to apologize Ino…I never meant to break your promise but-"

"I don't want to hear it Sakura! Just go back to Uchiha castle because no one but Sasuke-kun wants you-"

"You're being completely unreasonable Ino!!" Sakura protested as the woman spun around and marched right up to her.

"I'M UNREASONABLE?! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS YOUR PRECIOUS SASUKE-KUN!!"

"That's not true!! If I didn't care about you I wouldn't be standing here right now-"

"LIAR!! YOU'RE A BACKSTABBING **WHORE** WHO DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT HER FRIENDS-"she paused to sneer and put her hands on her hips mockingly. "Your mother would be proud. We ALL know HER reputation-"

Finally, Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She had been insulted, slapped, and walked out on. And sure, it hurt that Ino, her best friend, had compared her to her father of all people. But when she called her and her mother a whore, she had crossed the line.

With a vicious, monstrous amount of strength, Sakura's hand connected with the blonde woman's cheek which made her go flying over the counter and hit the wall with a loud thud. How could Sakura harbor this much strength! It was as if she had been hit with a shopping cart yet she had just slapped her! Had she finally snapped? (**a/n: see!! I'm not entirely evil I added the analogy shopping cart!! **)

The pink-haired woman's eyes glowed with rage as she stared at the blue-eyed woman and picked her up by her shirt. "**Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again.**" she told her through gritted teeth. "I tried my hardest to keep my promise to you! I thought about nothing BUT you! But you're selfish and ungrateful! I gave up the opportunity of a LIFETIME because of YOU! So cut me so **fucking **slack okay?!" she screamed.

The hurt in her eyes was visible behind the blind fury. And it made Ino fall completely silent, only able to nod. Never had she seen Sakura so angry.

"I got to know Sasuke as a person and realized that I was completely wrong about him…do you think that it was EASY living with that realization?!"

"Sakura…"

"It wasn't even my fault! Sasuke was the one that kissed ME first! Then he treated me like I actually MEANT something...that I was special…but all YOU cared about was your obsession with him!"

"Sakura I…"

"Have you ever thought about what I'VE wanted?! The entire time I've been living with you have you ever once did something I wanted to do unless it could benefit YOU in some way?! I understand that your family took me in but that doesn't mean boss me around like you own me!! I'm officially 18 now so I can do whatever the HELL I want so-"

"Sakura! Please! I get it. You're pissed off." Ino interjected almost calmly. Though it hadn't been how she wished Sakura would confront her about her needs this was the first time Sakura had truly stuck up for herself and said what was on her mind.

The blonde put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for flipping out on you. I was…just mad that Sasuke had chosen you from the very beginning."

Sakura looked puzzled. Why was she being so calm about this? Ino seemed to read her expression and grinned at her. "I met someone the other day. He's from Uchiha castle too!"

She thought about this. Who could she be talking about?

"He came by to talk to me about you…"

"_You! Why are you here?" The pushy blonde woman demanded as the drenched man walked in. "I'm here to talk to you…about Sakura-san." The man replied. _

"_Eh? So she was low enough to send some guy to do her dirty work-"_

"_No, I overheard you yelling at her and I decided to take in into my own accord." He interjected but in a mysteriously polite way. And what the hell was wrong with this guy's face? Was he trying to smile??_

"_I see…how many guys has she messed around with at Sasuke-kun's castle anyway?" Ino demanded snippily. The man seemed confused by this but continued. "Excuse me for saying so, but I think you acted a little harshly with Sakura-san."_

_Before Ino could argue the man put up a hand and continued. "Over the course of time Sakura-san has shown up at Uchiha castle Sasuke-san has been more content. Perhaps I could say…happy. He's…formed an unbreakable bond with Sakura-san."_

"_Why did you come all the way here just to tell me that they've had sex?!" The blonde woman shouted, almost insulted. First, this pale man walks into her flower shop and talks about Sakura and Sasuke, and now he was talking to her about "bonds"? What the hell!_

"_That's…not what I meant. Please take Sakura-san's situation into consideration."_

"_Giving orders now, eh, Mr. Smiley?" she mocked. But he didn't get it and kept an emotionless expression. "My name is Sai-"_

"_NEVER MIND!! Why should I forgive Sakura anyway?" _

"_I'm not saying forgive her. Simply take her case into consideration. She makes Sasuke-san happy. And as her best friend you should think of her needs more than your own. At least, that's what I read in a book."_

_Ino's face scrunched up into a strange expression. Now this guy was telling her stuff out of a book?! What kinda guy did he think he was?! But he DID look a little similar to Sasuke…_

"_Hmmpf. I'll think about it. Sakura's always been pushed around when she was little. But I can't blame her. Her mother died and her dad practically abandoned her. If she admits that she's broken her promise to me and tells me that she's in love with Sasuke I'll forgive her. And don't you DARE tell her this or I'll come after you."_

_The man gave her another fake smile. "Arigato. I won't speak a word of this. Ano…_(**a/n: also eto which means umm... **) _I never got your name."_

"_Eh? It's Yamanaka Ino."_

'_To symbolize friendship most come up with nicknames for each other.' Sai thought, reciting a part of a book in his head. He kept the fake smile going before he spoke. "I see…gorgeous."_

"He thinks I'm gorgeous, Sakura!" Ino told her as she remembered the conversation with Sai as if he had proposed to her. _'Sai called HER gorgeous?! CHE! I'd have to see it to believe it…he's worse than Sasuke was in a conversation!!' _Inner Sakura yelled.

'_True, but I DO owe him. I don't think I'd be able to earn Ino's forgiveness if he hadn't come here…I'd have to thank him…' _but then she realized she had left Uchiha castle. There was no way she could go back now. After that stunt she pulled with Sasuke would truly live up to his reputation if he ever saw her again. She was sure of it.

After he had opened his heart to her, but she pushed him away because she had broken a promise to her obsessed pushy friend and had chosen her over his love…Sakura would be lucky if he even looked at her if she would go to apologize.

"Ne, Sakura! That necklace…it's beautiful! Was it your mother's?" Ino exclaimed as she looked at the necklace. She was completely oblivious to who actually gave her the necklace. Thank Kami.

"I…yeah. I think she wanted me to have it when I turned 18." Sakura lied, trying to smile through it. Luckily, Ino interpreted her fake smile as a sad one. "I know you miss your mom. Hell, I miss her too…but hey, look on the bright side billboard brow! You're finally 18 and you can do whatever the hell you want just like you told me!"

"Aah…right." Sakura mumbled, not wanting to do whatever she wanted. Because the ONLY thing she wanted to do was go back to Sasuke. But of course she couldn't do that. To him, she was probably nothing more than a vixen who lead him on and stole his heart before ripping it in two and giving it back to him. She had even walked out on him without a goodbye…

Though the tears begged and pleaded to come out, Sakura held them in and pretended to be happy; reunited with her best friend. But inside, she was dying. _'Gomeni…Sasuke. Gomen…'_

**TBC…**

**. hopefully you guys aren't too mad at me now.**** Unfortunately, you guys probably won't get anything until NEXT SUNDAY…well…maybe Friday or Saturday if the last portion of my finals doesn't kill me.**

**Till nxt time! **

**xxasukachanxx**


	38. Confrontation

**Hey guys I'm back again with another chapter! And I'm SO relieved that school is over along with my finals. It's like this weight was taken off my shoulders…but enough about school. I was REALLY surprised with your guys' reaction to the last chapter. Was it really that sad XD? ( If you think this is sad just wait till later…heh.)**

**So I read a the Naruto manga 402 spoiler and I'm pretty pissed off. Sasuke's team is no longer going to be Hebi, but Hawk. And they're going to destroy Konoha. I said HOLY SH- like 500 times. There are going to be some serious battles…**

**I just want Sasuke-kun to go back to Sakura :(.**

**Also, I have no clue how long this, but I know it is going to end soon…I think…I don't know how to end it right…wait…heh…just got it. Yup. (none of you will understand that except me XD)**

**But since you guys are the readers and I'm here to please you…(haha) I have a poll for you guys:**

**How do I end Rose?!**

**End it crazy and screwy (cliff hanger)…just like YOU! (I thought of kt.1z.awesome when I picked this one because you think I'm senile XD!)**

**Senile much? HAPPY! It's good for the soul. I mean haven't you screwed with us enough? Why screw with us even when it ends?!**

**Sad…sad and depressing. Make me LONG FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ENDING!! Or just long. That's okay too.**

**End it? END IT? OH SO YOU HAVE TO END IT HUH THAT WASN'T PART OF THE DEAL!!**

**To vote, add give me feedback on this chapter and but the letter next to the ending you want. The highest number will be the type of ending I chose to write! (As soon as we get that far… ****)**

**Special Thanks To:**

**ItaSaku29 (XD better late than never!)**

bloodygirl- (new reader! ahh your so good to me :). I'm glad you think my story is worth reading. I actually have a natural annoying talent to make things incredibly long... and thanks for the long comment! I absolutely love them. I hope you stick by me until the end, i promise to try and make it worth your while and screw with your mind all in one XD!)

Daughter of Unending Darkness-

crispy geco-chan- (I love you guys XD! I seriously never get tired of you two and your randomness. It highly amuses me and not just because I'm add...but Idk but you remind me of me and one of my best guy friends because you guys seem rly close . and the envy2 thing made me laugh. I'm human of course I know what it is, a couple of my friends have it XD. )

xImCharmedx- (XD haha! yea i survived! whoo! It was a japanese final so I think I did purdy well...heh. Youre still in school? I finished today. Wow your in softball too! Alot of my friends are in softball and i know how busy you guys can get, so thanks so much for taking the time to review!)

ToruHimeSama- (new reader! SHYYYTT!! I seriously love you! Like to the freaken maximum O.o i love it when you guys do multiple reviews. It takes time. I feel wubbed )

Chibi Warri0r

Never-quits-Never-backs-down- (XD gomen ne! Heh. My readers tend to have mixed feelings about me ha ha. First they love me, then hate me, then love me again! Its a love-hate relationship.)

kt.1z.aweomse- (ha i never seem to get tired of your long comments. :D I'm glad I made you happy because I'm sure I pissed you off the most hehe. I didn't understand the last part of your review tho..you want me to tell you something O.o...?)

rawriamabanana- (I don't do it personally to you, just to torture the souls of all my readers :). )

xXSasuxSakuXx (I love your entirely enthusiastic reviews. Seriously haha. They amuse me. I have to count all the "!'s" you leave me one of these days. Oh and don't worry I love to torture you guys not hold you against your will and kill you slowly. That's murder :) )

uchiha helena-hime- ( DON'T APOLOGIZE! I'm just grateful you have the energy to MOVE after your exams...I fall asleep during them so I'm usuall the last one done...lol )

lacusclien4- ( wow I sure did break alot of my readers...its making me sad...but only a little XD)

HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- i know dude...it was sick writing it. But the anime gave me the idea. BLAME THE ANIME!!)

cutebutweirdlucy18- (i know what you mean. half the ppl you talk to in school you dont over the summer but i love the break. I hate the heat. I like the cold. What can I say I snowboard XD. I couldn't kill Kaito off. Thought about it, talked it over with him, and was like...naahhhhhh)

lito-pink-chihuahua (your username makes me smile everytime!)

HoshikoK- (ha oh yes at first I was like eh. they can wait. I'm tired...so tired...no...coffee...but then! I was like NO! Hoshi-chan's b-day! THIS IS HER PRESENT! :D so yes. You were the motivation.)

QuietRiver- (:) don't worry hehe)

Haru-Desu- (Haru-chan! I want to snuggle you and your cute review faces ! they make me all happy)

xXSnow.FoxXx- (XD of course! He doesn't actually like her dude. I have plans for her though. A more suited pairing later.)

Kawaii.Miyu.chan- (your name is very cute haha. get it cuz kawaii means..ya never mind...but heh I believe you're a new reader...but you make me laugh XD! You're funny! No like the ha..yeah. funny the HA! HA HA HA! funny :) please stick by me until the end I promise to make it worth your while while playing with your mind!)

one2bLoved- (oh yes you were one of the people i thought about with the push cart XD so that is my symbol of love for you guys)

i love hershey

kurai hi

Namine-sama- (nahhhhh its not permanent XD. It was just a little funny to distract you from the pain most felt when reading these past chapters. heh. See! I think about you guys)

You Are My Brand of Heroin- (O.o YOUR NAME! AMAZES ME! Why? Because I feel like I truly am a drug dealer of fanfiction now XD!! AND i'm flattered!)

minniemousemom

Kakashi500

Shikamaru's Baby A.K.A Ino - (your review confused me...but your not a new reader...so i got that part...i think...er..)

SasuSaku13636- (everyone needs a break from the smexiness that is Sasuke. XD)

Drake Hellion- (you shall see muh reader. you shall see :) )

...

liljapangrl03

Miss Aerith- (the one you changed the name on!! O.O UPDATE! I have a chair ill beat you with! HAH! You remind me of a couple of my friends who find me very crazy...and im not the tallest soooo heh. heh. it was funny and insulting. all the more reason i love you XD)

Lady Sayomi- (SAYOMI-CHAN! :D i feel like ive known you for years heh. but yes. Dont sell yourself short to the drug that is my fanfiction XD. And thanks! Im glad I was the intervention to the HELL you went through. I get grey hairs...I TRULY AM SENILE O.O)

Savannah- (I never said big XD. I said strong. and heh we all have moments like that...i just realized im one of the few that reply to you guys...it takes forever seriously...but ill never stop!!)

sasusaku779- (no don't cry! ...or bawl...i didn't mean to actually make you cry XD! heh heh heh im gonna use that in an extra sometime. You shall attack Ino XD!!)

puppybreath- (okay...you changed your name. I know you did. because I remember getting this review BUT NOT THAT NAME! but thanks for reviewing first :) )

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"Ne, Sasuke-teme." Naruto asked as he wandered into the Uchiha prodigy's office.

"Hn." He asked dully without looking up. He had gotten so used to his best friend barging in from time to time it no longer annoyed him. But Sasuke also realized he hadn't truly seen the blonde around from the time Sakura arrived to till the time she left.

After she did he seemed to bug him non-stop.

"You sure have been anti-social lately…more than usual. You're going to be paler than that bastard Sai who actually looks tanner now…it's like he's actually been outside I mean really-"

"Dobe. You're annoying." Sasuke told him irritably which made the man frown and slam his hands down on his desk. His papers fluttered everywhere as the man yelled,

"Ever since Sakura-chan left you've been moping around like the sad bastard you are!! It's been almost a week teme! I miss her too but this is ridiculous…don't turn emo on me!"

The raven-haired haired man raised an eyebrow at him. Emo…? What in the world did that mean?

Naruto pulled himself back and crossed him arms. "All I'm saying is that you need you go outside and clear that big head of yours! Because from what I see it's a little "clouded with pink". Ha! Get it because you're…" But the blonde's voice trailed off along with his grin when he glanced at his friend.

Sasuke's appearance did, actually, look paler. It was worse than when his mother Mikoto died. He no longer smiled nor show any sign of emotions. But worst of all, when he found out Sakura had departed Sasuke cooped himself in his room. He left his room only to drown himself with paperwork (which he hated).

In Naruto's eyes, it was truly sad. How did he find time to eat- if he did at all?

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and he grabbed Sasuke's arm. After jerking him forward, over his desk, out the room, and down the stairs to the main hall with almost inhuman speed Sasuke spoke.

"Dobe let me go." He warned irritably. But Naruto only grinned. "You're going to hate me for this, but I'm sick of you not wanting to eat ramen with me anymore! So we're going to Konoha!"

Briefly, Sasuke's eyes widened. That's where Sakura was.

She couldn't see him like this.

If she wanted to see him at all.

Suddenly, Sasuke began to struggle. "I'm not going." He stated defiantly which threw the blonde off balance. "What…no! You're going!" Naruto argued. But Sasuke was stronger and tried to yank his arm out of his friend's tight grip.

Unfortunately, Naruto didn't let go and flew forward and fell face first on the floor, taking Sasuke with him. The raven-haired man suddenly found himself flipping through the air and with a loud thump landed on his back; still caught in the man's grip.

"Dobe let go…!"

"Not until we get to Konoha!"

"You're annoying- I told you I don't want to go!"

"You don't have a choice asshole! We don't even have to go see Sakura-"

"I'm not going!"

"Yes you are!"

"Dobe!"

"TEME!!"

"Ahem." Spoke a low tone belonging to a red headed man who had observed what had been going on the entire time.

The two men wrestling with each other on the ground stopped long enough to look up at Gaara and realize just how embarrassing the two looked; Sasuke was bent over slightly, still trying to crawl his way out of Naruto's grasp who was standing behind him and had his arm raised up (**a/n:. For those who didn't get it it's a VERY awkward position for guys to be in unless of course you're gay. The position just came to me XD. I had to put it in**).

Quickly the men broke away from each other awkwardly. "Sorry."

Gaara stared at them with cold eyes before Naruto asked, "Oi Gaara where've you been anyway? After me and Hinata found you, you just sort of disappeared."

The redhead recalled the events from the beginning of the week reluctantly.

"_GAARA?! GAAARA!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"_

"_You're loud." Mumbled a man from behind the blonde-headed man and the midnight blue haired woman beside him. The two spun around to find the redheaded man looking slightly haggard and emotionless._

"_Gaara!! We thought you fell in a hole or something!!" Naruto exclaimed as he gave the man a bear hug. Gaara looked at him awkwardly before breaking away. Were all people from Konoha this "touchy-feely"?_

"_I recovered my memories and Sakura-san let me out of the infirmary." The man replied. But Hinata noticed his mouth twitched grimly as he said this. Was he lying?_

_Naruto didn't seem to notice and lowered his head. "I see…Sakura-chan left this morning…I guess you were already gone before she did."_

_Though he didn't say anything, the heiress also noticed a hint of relief in his cold, dead eyes. Yet, why were they so emotionless in the first place? _

"_G-Gaara-san do you know why Sakura-san left in the f-first place?" Hinata asked hesitantly. He almost looked alarmed when he found that the heiress was talking. 'So she regained her voice after all…but her memories haven't returned…'_

_Almost too quickly he shook his head. "She told me nothing." He paused to look at the blue-eyed man who was now giving him a skeptical look. "I-I have to be going…" and without excusing himself he hurried off down the hall._

_The two looked at each other as Naruto scratched his head with a baffled expression. But Hinata turned to look in his direction. Something strange was going on, and she didn't like it._

"I've been busy." Gaara replied softly. "What could YOU possibly be busy with?" Naruto blurted out wildly. Sasuke bopped him roughly but said nothing.

"…Shikamaru asked me to research something." The man lied. This time, Sasuke noticed it and eyed him suspiciously. What could Gaara get out of lying? He would have to watch him closely.

Obviously, Naruto didn't catch this lie either and grinned at him. "Sucks to be you. Well me and the bastard here need to get going, later!"

"Dobe…I told you-"

"SASUKE SHUT UP!!" Naruto yelled over him as he dragged the lord away. Gaara looked down at his feet. _'Enjoy your time of peace. For things are only going to get worse from here. Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.'_

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Hinata thrashed around in her bed. Because she had regained her voice back Shikamaru had sent her to have a room on the 3rd floor- which was heavily guarded just in case something was to happen.

But all was not well in the heiress's head. Nightmares haunted her constantly, until she began to think that maybe they weren't nightmares, but premonitions.

She heard voices, but couldn't see the faces. They seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember why…

A woman was begging a man to not propose to her, to not love her. But the man wouldn't be denied because he was in love with her. Yet something was wrong…

Terribly wrong.

She had been denying him as if she accepted his proposal something bad would happen. Something horrible…

'_Neji nii-san…I-I wish you and Tenten-san were here to interpret these dreams…' _She thought painfully. Though they had bad blood between each other growing up, after awhile her cousin practically became a brother figure to her.

Her cousin was always the pride of the Hyuuga clan; remarkable and successful in everything he did. Neji even had a fiancée. And for awhile Hinata thought that he deserved to inherit the throne, not her. She would've been happy simply living with her family without any large responsibilities.

'_I have faith in you, Hinata-sama.' _He had told her once. Neji, of course, never was a man of many words, but when he did manage to speak more than a few sentences he was comforting and reliable. And whenever she had a nightmare, he would try to interpret it.

He truly was like a brother to her.

But as she smiled at the memory of her family, it trailed off when the image of a grinning Naruto popped into her head.

When Shikamaru gave her the say-so Hinata would return to the Hyuuga estate as if nothing had ever happened. But would she be able to do it? The bonds she had formed were undeniably strong, and with a clan that could read eyes like the back of her hand, it was near impossible to lie.

"Thinking about Naruto again?" Shikamaru asked as he appeared beside her bed. It nearly made her jump up out of it. "Ah! S-Shikamaru-kun you scared me…" she murmured quietly.

"You like him, don't you?" the man asked, ignoring her words. A blush crept onto her cheeks as she stared at him. "H-How did you f-f-figure that?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"When you're nervous you stammer more than usual, so I must be right." Shikamaru replied without much expression change. "Naruto's a good guy, even if he isn't the brightest tool in the toolbox…"

"I-I don't l-like N-Naruto-kun! Y-You have it all wrong Shikamaru-k-kun!" Hinata protested as she shook her head and her hands frantically. But this only made the man smile. "Don't sit around here and let him slip through your fingers if you like him. Get it off your chest you troublesome girl."

"B-But…even if I d-did I have to go back to my f-family soon…" she murmured under her breath. "Maybe so, but don't you think you'll feel better if you leave with him knowing your feelings instead of leaving knowing that he didn't know how you felt?"

Hinata fell silent. "Troublesome isn't it?" Shikamaru asked. "Just admit you like him. He might like you back."

Her entire face seemed to light up with his words. "R-Really? You really think so?"

"He said 'might', not yes." Kiba replied as he came into the room and flicked her on the forehead in annoyance. It made her yelp. Shikamaru looked at him wildly. How could he just barge in her room like that?

Kiba noticed him staring and shrugged. "You do it all the time. Why can't I?"

Damn. He had a point.

"Bottom line Hinata:you can't go through life being so damn shy! If you want that bouzo to like you back you have to do something about it or you'll find yourself with nothing and him with someone else."

Though it was harsh, Hinata seemed to understand this and nodded, listening intently. "I think you need to find him and tell him how you feel as soon as possible! You never know when you're gonna leave, y'know?" he added as he gave her a toothy smile and a thumbs-up sign.

She smiled at this. "A-Arigato Shikamaru-kun, Kiba-kun. I-I feel a little better about this." She moved to the side of her bed and stood up. "I'm going to find Naruto-kun r-right n-now."

"Oh wait, you can't." Kiba replied quickly. It nearly made the girl fall over. "W-Why not!"

He grinned sheepishly and put an arm behind his head. "Heh well…he took Sasuke and left. I think they went to Konoha. He's been pretty pissed off that Sasuke's been moping around so much. Probably because Sakura left."

"I have a feeling they aren't going to come back empty handed." Shikamaru grinned as he spoke, more to himself than the others. The two looked at him to explain, but he didn't elaborate.

He had a feeling that a certain (troublesome), pink-headed girl would make a comeback. He just hoped everything would work out alright between them…

'_Don't screw this up, Sasuke! It'll be troublesome if you do…'_

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"Sasuke-teme! Eat your damn ramen already! They didn't make it free of charge for you to waste!" Naruto snapped as he just finished his 4th (or was it 5th…?) bowl of ramen. After being dragged around almost everywhere in town, ducking behind various objects when someone who looked like a fan girl seemed to appear, Naruto had gotten hungry and stopped to get ramen at all small noodle shop called Ichiraku Ramen.

Sasuke only glared at the man. How could he eat when he had a feeling he would run into Sakura? She did, after all, live close by.

He wondered if everything turned out okay between her and Ino.

"**You're just like your father**."

After a line like that, she must've had to do some serious ass-kissing for forgiveness.

But he couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't chosen to go after Ino, would she have stayed in Uchiha castle with him? The dream that haunted him everyday made him think of nothing but her.

"_Mou, Sasuke-kun…" The pink headed woman whined as she walked into his office. The man was gawking at a rather large stack of paper work in front of him as if he were trying to determine mentally if he should do it or just walk away from it._

"_Hn." He asked without looking up. He had a hard expression on his face as he glared at the stack, as if to intimidate it to shrink. To no avail, it did no such thing._

_Sakura placed herself in his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck, putting her lips next to his ear. "It's not going to get any smaller, y'know." She murmured softly in his ear._

"_I know." Sasuke replied with a sigh as he massaged his temple in frustration. He was feeling a headache coming on._

"_I know what you can do! You can take a break from your work and spend some time with me!" She told him cheerfully. As tempting as that sounded, the man didn't show any sign of amusement and reached over her to grab a paper from the stack._

"_Not gonna happen." He replied monotonously. She frowned at this. "Why not? You don't spend enough time with me!"_

"_Yes I do." Sasuke answered plainly as he scanned the paper and stamped it with the Uchiha seal._

_The pink-haired woman leaped off his lap and put her hands on her hips. Sasuke almost groaned at the loss of warmth and longed to have her cradled in his arms again. But she looked mad…he wondered if Sakura would see the considerably sharp pair of scissors sitting in a cup next on the far left corner of his desk to threaten him with._

"_Work, work, work! Is there anything else you do anymore?" she demanded as she pouted. Though she was pissed off, it never failed to turn him on. He smirked at her. "Well not __**recently **__but not long ago you and I were-"_

"_THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!" She hissed at him with a blush. "Wipe that smirk off your face Uchiha Sasuke!" _

_It didn't disappear. "Giving orders now Uchiha Sa-ku-ra?" he taunted. Her face seemed to turn shade of scarlet and purple. Was it because she was mad or embarrassed? He could never tell the difference, but it was definitely darker than her unusually bubblegum pink locks._

"_You-You are IMPOSSIBLE!! First you ignore me and now you're teasing me!" thus time she noticed the scissors and Sasuke noted mentally that it was time to stop he wouldn't live to see the day his son born._

"_Anger isn't good for the baby, Sakura." _

"_I know- UGH…WHY did I marry you again?"_

_This time he smirked wider. "Do I need to explain why you're 4 months pregnant?-"_

_Sakura let out an exasperated noise before crossing her arms. "I hope your SON doesn't turn out as much of an ass as you…" she mumbled quietly. But she couldn't help but let the smile curl at her lips and return to his lap._

"_Sasuke-kun what happens if you get a daughter instead? With pink hair like me?" Sakura asked with a smile._

"_What do you think Shikamaru would say?"_

"_SASUKE-KUN!"_

"Ne, teme…Are you…SMILING?!" Naruto asked loudly, turning to stare at the man who was in his own world. Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts and turned to glare at the blonde.

"You're annoying."

"YOU WERE WEREN'T YOU!!"

"I wasn't-"

"YES YOU WERE!"

"Dobe you're too loud-"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

"Shut-"

"HEY!! BOTH OF YOU KNOCK IT OFF!!" Screamed a familiar sounding voice. The men turned to look at the blonde, appearing beside them with her hands on her hips. Her long blonde hair was tied in a pony-tail now and a long bang covered one of her cerulean eyes.

She definitely looked different.

"I-Ino! What're YOU doing here?" Naruto asked, almost alarmed. Sasuke didn't look at her, or rather he couldn't. They had both been the cause of Sakura leaving him.

"Well I DO live in Konoha…but that's not the point! I can't even shop in peace anymore; I heard YOUR loud ass half a mile from her!"

Naruto seemed to grumble and quiet down as a bowl of ramen was put in front of him, only this time, he ate it slowly; obviously insulted.

Now, Ino turned to Sasuke and sat on the left of him. He closed his eyes and didn't say a word.

"You've gotten cuter since I last saw you, Sasuke-kun." She cooed cheerfully. Coldly, she didn't get a reply back.

She frowned, but pretended not to notice. "Err…nice weather we're having nowadays? Things are still wet, but-"

"I don't care." He replied without looking at her. But he didn't have to, for his cold tone was enough to make her jump out of her seat. Sasuke was truly the ice-hearted prince.

"…What's your problem anyway?!" she demanded. "I mean no disrespect, milord, but you're being a dick!"

Eh. He got that a lot.

"Hn."

"I don't understand why though…you weren't to Sakura!" she protested. Sasuke flinched at the sound of her name. Even Naruto stopped eating to listen to the loud woman's rants.

"I mean what did I do to you anyway! All I did was sit down and compliment you! I bet if SAKURA was here you would probably bend backwards for HER-"

Suddenly, Sasuke rose and hovered over her. His eyes were crimson now as he eyed her with a murderous stare. "**You. Are. Annoying.**"

Ino took a few steps back from the man fearfully. He looked like he was about to strangle her. Was Konoha's lord really this terrifying? How could Sakura bear to live with this guy!

That's when it hit her. He was angry that Sakura left. Angry that she yelled at her and compared Sakura to her father whom he obviously knew about. Angry that she was the cause behind her leaving in the first place.

And because she realized he was angry it made her realize that Uchiha Sasuke, the man with the heart of ice which was impossible to thaw- the man who was said to think all women entirely, the one who wouldn't open up to ANYONE…had fallen in love with Sakura.

Haruno Sakura.

The same Sakura who hated Sasuke's existence (and all men in general).

HER shy best friend Sakura.

Forehead girl!!

"…Still angry at me for Sakura leaving, huh?" she asked almost sadly. When he didn't answer she continued. "You probably won't forgive me Sasu- no- Uchiha-sama, but just to let you know, you aren't the only one that's been an emotional wreck since she left."

Sasuke met the blonde's eyes this time, and she went on. "She tries to act happy for me, but I know better. Sakura cries herself to sleep every night and sometimes she'll leave the flower shop and doesn't come back until late at night. If I didn't know better I'd say she was just as much in love with you as well…you are with her."

Though he didn't answer, the man stared down at his fists while Naruto gaped at them, completely speechless. Sasuke was in love with Sakura. Who was in love with him. But left somehow because of Ino- who was apologize to Sasuke for Sakura leaving in the first place!!

He turned back to his ramen. Love was too damn complicated.

"I'm not gonna push you to go after her. If you LIKE living without the best thing that ever happened to you than go ahead. But if you love her I think you should swallow your stupid pride and go find her. Either way, I think this is your last chance because even the strongest flower can be killed when smothered with weeds." And with that she turned around to leave the small noodle shop.

Naruto didn't understand but Sasuke did. He knew of the meaning better than anyone else. Sakura was a strong girl, but the pain and heartbreak she experienced at a young age didn't help her to hold on to those she grew to love.

First it was her father.

Now it was Sasuke.

He just hoped she hadn't given up on him already.

"Where…can I find her?" Sasuke asked before Ino left. She smiled. Looks like he loved her after all. _'I'll let you win this time forehead girl…' _she thought before turning around to face him with a serious expression and shrugged.

"How should I know? She disappeared early this morning."

With that, Sasuke stood up from his seat and took of out of the noodle shop. Ino grinned. _'Sakura you better not be in one of those hard-headed moods and come back empty handed or I will SO beat you!' _she thought quietly before sitting down next to Naruto who had gone back to devouring his bowl of ramen.

All this match making was making her hungry

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Sakura sighed as she looked up at the blue sky. It had been almost a week since she left Sasuke. She wondered how he had reacted when he realized she was gone?

Was he upset? Was he mad? Hell, did he jump for joy? After blaming him for her and Ino's fight she wasn't too sure that he was sad to see her leave without a word.

**You're just like your father.**

"Would you be proud of me if you saw me like this…father? I've become just like you…" Sakura murmured quietly as she sat down on the damp field of grass. She had, after all left without a word, just as he did.

She hugged her knees for comfort but wished that she were in Sasuke's arms instead. He never failed to make her feel safe. But now that he was gone, the terror of heartbreak and her fears had come back.

It was as if she was the scared little girl in the woods Sakura had found a few years ago. The girl's name was Akamori and had gotten lost in the woods for hours. In the end, she had helped her return to her parents.

But this time, no one would help her to return to the person she loved.

Because SHE had separated herself from HIM.

Sakura then found herself fingering the necklace he had given her. She hadn't taken it off- or rather she couldn't. For every time she tried an incredible ache in her chest made her stop. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was regret.

Or maybe it was because, as much as she hated the constant ache and longing for Sasuke she felt everyday, she didn't want to forget him.

"Maybe…I am like my father." The pinkette told the wind softly, but shockingly found a familiar voice answer her.

"But you aren't."

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up at the man now standing beside her, outline by the sun. Though she couldn't see all of his face completely, his dark onyx eyes and spiky raven hair was nothing unfamiliar to her.

"Sasu…ke."

**TBC… **

**Kyaaa .! I got this up for you guys a day earlier than you expected!! Thank **

**coffee, because honestly I was DRAINED today. Until I had that amazing cup of coffee….oh lordy.**

**I was at page five, but now I'm finished at page 12! (excluding the list of readers and my replies to whatever comments you guys left me I add in before uploading.)**

**Next upload will be…I don't know. Depending on how many reviews I get :). It's a simple equation actually if you guys didn't know…**

**reviewers + comments faster uploads!!**

**Motivated xxasukachanxx**

**:D get it? Got it? Good! **

**Till Nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	39. One Stubborn Uchiha

**Sorry guys this is going to be a little rushed so I didn't answer alot of your comments...I have a concert to play in for the seniors graduating this year so I apologize...****I HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR YOU GUYS ON MY PROFILE, SO AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER CLICK ON MY NAME!!**

**Last Friday I got a few PMs (which was really rare since my mail has been untouched for awhile.) and I've become a beta reader for someone! Their name is taku-kun. They released their FIRST EVER FANFIC on the 27****th****, and it's been kicking off quiet well. He/She is a fast uploader, so you guys won't be disappointed with that. It's a Naruto fic, and the pairing is a little weird, but with some help this story could be REALLY GREAT. :).**

**Oh, I understand that some of you guys didn't get the whole voting thing. It's quite simple: **

**YOU guys will vote for what type of ending Rose will end in (see previous chapter for options). The MOST-CHOSEN ending will be the type I write in the future. **

**But I have to warn you guys, the sad ending ****WILL ****(most likely) make you guys cry, but because it will you'll also figure out why it's called Till the Last Rose Dies. Otherwise I'll fit the meaning in somewhere in the other endings :). **

**Special Thanks To:**

**bloodygirl- ( thanks heh all your questions will be answered soon :))**

akatsuki-shawdow-sakura- (awee thanks m,uh new reader! I can't believe you read the entire story so far in just a day Oo. I find you amazing!! Please stick be me until the end I promise to try and make this long long journey with me worth while!!)

Namine-sama

lil sweetpea27- (YOU'RE REMARKABLE TOO O.O!! I can't believe my new readers are finishing my story in just a days time! -sniffle- it makes me feel so good that my story is worth wasting an entire day on T.T please stick by me until the end I promise to make this long long journey worth your while!!)

lito-pink-chihuahua- (RIGHT!! What is wrong with this boy seriously. But even though its going to be sad and naruto and sasuke are gonna fite again this story still has me hooked but you kno what since theres gonna be another nartuo shippuden movie coming out with naruxsasu fighting together i think that Sasuke WONT succeed in trying to destroy konoha but will still leave and theyll be reunited in the OVA that is the 2nd movie :) but that's just my theory)

liljapangrl03

KawaiiMiyu.chan- (ahh I find you very amusing :). its spelled enthusiastically XD btw. But thats o tay. I actually love strawberries. For a month that was like the only thing I ate. I practically BECAME a strawberry...nut anyway heh heh thanks. Ill try to make each story and chapter I make worth everyones while!)

Haru-Desu- (well I have to " everything in the world either good or bad must come to an end somewhere. And heh. Just like I tell my readers you are all on the rollercoaster ride that is my fic. And when you least expect BAM! You get another loop-de-loop, drop or whatever I feel like throwing in ;))

PASSION244- (T.T YOU CAME BACK TO ME!! KYAAA!! )

Never-quits-Never-backs-down (I get great joy out of torturing you guys XD. I'm just that horrible. Whoo boy. Oh, and you are completely and totally wrong lol because in my story, Sakura's dad has emerald eyes and chocolate brown hair.)

therein after- (" eh...heh...heh...I would never dream of leaving you guys with a cliffie at the end...hehhhh...-scratches out plan to leave cliffy at end-)

kazter- (new reader!! You shall see!)

uchiha helena-hime- (wow. I entirely love you and this long comment you left me. It entirely amused me for like 3 mins straight :D! I entirely know what you mean. Kishimoto-san -creator of Naruto- is entirely evil so I bet the next chapter thats gonna be up wont even have Sasuke in it.)

puppybreath-

cutebutweirdlucy18- (I'm just that evil :). But anyways...HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE WINTER!? I would die. I snowboard. and I love snow. It's like peanut butter and jelly without the JELLY!!)

xImCharmedx- (Like I said I'm evil. But wow. That sux for you XD! Hah. But I know what you mean. Teachers are just...urgh. I bet hs is going by so fast for you. I know it is for me here...seriously Im kinda not looking forward to graduating in a way when I become a senior. I'll miss HS in a way.)

crispy geco-chan (YOU GUYS ARE RIDICULOUS!! But I love you both. Oh, is it a guy-girl friendship? XD That's how it is with one of my best friends. In school I used to sit on the floor beside him and some people in my first hour would be like HOLY SHIT WHERES ASUKA?! And my head would pop up on the side of him and be like "Right here" and they would just laugh because I looked like...yah...heh. You can imagine.)

lapP1122- (If things don't turn out the way I planned -like somehow the ending falls off a cliff- I'll make a sequel. I thought about the possibility of a sequel around the 20th chapter, but I'm not sure if you guys want one. This is so damn long...haha)

xXSasuxSakuXx- (okay...you guys are tied TIED seriously. No looking back and seeing. I measured them for 10 seconds and they're the same amount!! Awee I don't know why but you two are one of my favorites I can see two chibi people running around my story and I see you two. You guys make me feel...old. Like an older sister X3 And I actually did get a ton of reviews! It's crazy I've been trying to put all you guys up since 2:30!! it's almost 3:45 now)

koyumi the death bringer- (new reader!!)

ItaSaku29- (- you still seem so new to me even though you've been a consistent reviewer for awhile. I love it)

Kakashi500

Pincess Bhria- (HAH! I love the first word. You remind me of my best friend. It's amazing :). Awe yay!! I love starbucks. Next year around march I plan to work there. Heh...coffee...all the time...heheh...O.o I dont want to die but I actually plan on making a sad AND happy ending for you guys)

one2bLoved- (hehe sorry I'm just corrupted. Oh I know what you mean. I'm sort of...different so I guarantee you I'll put in some twists well before you get that far. ) )

ch1b10ch4n

Daughter of Unending Darkness- (I will try!!)

Lady Sayomi- (Sayomi chan :D!!)

sasusaku779- (yes yes. But of course she is even like that in the anime...well she was before the time skip but anyway...XD if I told you of the thoughts he's been thinking my lovely reader I would have to turn this into an M rated fic.)

lacusclien4

Savannah-(I know!! It is...I think he's lost it finally...if he ever had any sanity)

Animeartist19- (O.o please don't explode...I like your reviews..)

Kurai Raiku-Kurai Kisaki- (that name...was so damn confusing...haha.But it has a nice ring to it!)

Lily- (new reader!)

Miss Aerith- (XD I'll try and read it...sometime)

Drake Hellion

AnbuShawdowFang

SasuSaku13636

ToriHimeSama

i love hershey

sakura the lover

FiiinaBeeea

HinataMusaCorneliaRenee

amyXD

xXSnow.FoxXx

HoshikoK

Shikamaru's Baby A.A Ino

kt.1z.awesome

...

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_Previously…:_

"_Maybe…I am like my father." The pinkette told the wind softly, but shockingly found a familiar voice answer her._

"_But you aren't."_

_Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up at the man now standing beside her, outline by the sun. Though she couldn't see all of his face completely, his dark onyx eyes and spiky raven hair was nothing unfamiliar to her._

"_Sasu…ke."_

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"Sasu…ke." Sakura found herself murmuring as she stared into the dark-eyed man standing above her.

_This is goodbye. I'm leaving Uchiha castle tomorrow.  
_

Guilt washed over her again and it made her lower her head. "What're you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound casual. As if he WASN'T the only thing she thought about or of any importance to her for that matter.

"Because I knew I'd find you here." Sasuke replied in his low, husky voice. Something inside Sakura made her want to leap up and into his arms tearfully, but she knew better than to do that because…

She didn't deserve him…she didn't deserve to have him stand before her- hell stand 100 feet away from her!

She needed to get away from him…the tears were about to fall again.

"I see. Well…you found me." The pinkette whispered before she stood up and began to walk away. But Sasuke wouldn't have this, so he grabbed her wrist roughly.

Even if he had to drag her back, he wasn't going to let her walk away from him again.

"Sasuke let me go." She told him. Was there a crack in her voice?

"No," Sasuke told her harshly. "Not again." He replied, and it made her flinch. Sasuke had come back to bring HER back. Back to Uchiha castle, back into his life…

Back to him.

_You don't deserve him._

"Sasuke, please-"but her words were lost within a gasp when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her tiny frame. "…I miss you."

Though they were nothing more than 3 words, three STUPID words! But they were enough to make Sakura choke back her tears. How she wanted to spin around and say she missed him too, but she couldn't.

After attempting to regain her composure, she spoke. "Oh…really? I'm sorry to disappoint you. But I…don't miss you."

Sasuke would've been hurt, if Sakura was any good at lying. The unmistakable hesitation in her voice; the shaky tone…she was TRYING to push him away!

But why?

He decided to slowly eat away at her defiance. "Do you really mean that, Sakura?" he asked as he held her tighter. His breath fanned her ear, which (almost) made her shiver with delight. Stiffly she nodded her head.

"I don't believe you." Sasuke told her haughtily which made her stiffen even more. The man smirked. He could almost hear her blood boiling.

So taunting her wasn't the best solution, but it definitely got a rise out of her.

Sakura attempted to struggle out of his arms. "I don't care if you don't believe me or not! I don't miss you, I don't miss you, I don't miss you!!" she yelled. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

"YES! NOW LET ME GO!" the pinkette told him defiantly. "I will…when you say it like you mean it."

'_How dare he play with us like this!' _Inner Sakura screamed as she hit a wall. _'Who does this guy think he is?! Shannaro!' _"SASUKE!!" she screamed in aggravation. Why did this guy insist on NOT letting her go?

After all Sakura had done to him, after yelling at him, blaming him for something he had no control over, and LEAVING him he still came back to her. She obviously wasn't worth his time of day so why? WHY!!

"Turn around. Turn around and tell me that you don't miss me, and I'll let you go." Sasuke replied suddenly, making her stop thrashing around.

"I'll leave you alone, if you tell me you don't miss me. That you don't care about me. I won't come after you again, and you can live in Konoha as if you never knew me." He told her softly.

Slowly, Sakura turned around, but didn't look up into his eyes. Sasuke noticed this. "Look at me, Sakura." He told her roughly. When she didn't, he did it for her.

That's when he noticed something shimmering around her neck and realized she still had on the necklace he gave her. And it took him everything he had to keep from smiling; Sakura missed him just as much as he missed her.

"U…chiha Sasuke…" she began slowly, trying to sound strong, trying to sound confident. But the stare in her eyes looked as if she were biting down her tears. "I…"

But this time she stopped her sentence as if contemplating something in her head. _'Don't cry, don't cry…' _Sakura told herself over and over. _'You're stronger than your tears. Don't cry. Just say those 4 words and Sasuke will be out of your life for good! You'll never have to worry about him or anyone coming between you and your relationship. You'll just have to worry about yourself, and then he can be happy with some other girl! Then you can move on!'_

But was she really ready for that?

"I…" Sakura began again, a little more shakily then last time. Sasuke couldn't help but have his lips curl up slightly. "You what?"

After a long pause the pinkette bit her lip almost hard enough to draw blood before the first tear began to fall. Tiny fingers curled around his robes before the woman standing in front of him began to shake from crying.

"I…miss you…!" she sobbed before she buried her face into his robes. Relief came over him as he comforted her. Sasuke's arms wrapped around her tiny body; one around her waist, the other around her back so one of his hands rested in the middle of it.

"Thought so." The man told her softly. "D-Don't leave me, please d-don't leave me." Sakura begged through hitched breathing as one of his hands came up and wiped her tears away.

"Hn, don't count on it." he replied before he turned his head and pressed his mouth happily onto hers. _'I got her back…I got her back.' _He thought wildly, not realizing that by regaining possession of his flower he sealed his fate.

And hers.

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"YATTA!!" Naruto exclaimed happily as his arms wrapped around Sakura's neck. A blush crept onto her face. "Naruto let go of me…" she told him quietly, but secretly enjoyed his enthusiasm.

Ino just grinned as her hands placed on her full hips. "Aw forehead girl I knew you wouldn't let him go! You're too damn hard-headed and he's too damn hot! I would've had to seriously talk to you if you let him slip through your fingers-"

"I get it Ino, I get it." Sakura laughed as she hugged the man standing beside her, who was looking extremely bored at the moment.

The two blondes had returned to the flower shop after Sasuke had run off to find Sakura. And, of course, as their best friends Naruto and Ino didn't have get their conformation to realize the two were a pair (again).

"You two are probably wondering how we figured out you guys were a pair?" Ino stated proudly as she wrapped an arm casually around Naruto's neck after he let go of Sakura. The obsidian-onyx eyed man and the emerald eyed woman looked at her dully. They truly didn't give a shit.

But of course they couldn't tell her that. Ino would raise hell.

"It's actually sorta funny…" Naruto admitted.

"_I wonder if Sasuke-teme will get Sakura-chan back." Naruto wondered aloud as he stared out the flower shop window while Ino continued to water her plants. "Don't worry about Sasuke-kun, you dolt! Forehead girl is the one to worry about."_

"_Eh? Sakura-chan?"_

"_Of course! Women are hard to understand, and Sakura's the most perplexing girl I've ever known!" Ino explained. But Naruto only scratched his sun-kissed blonde hair had wore a confused expression. "She didn't seem that perp…perple….complicated to me."_

"_That's because you don't know Sakura like I do. She gets in these hardheaded moods and tells herself she doesn't deserve anyone to love, yada, yada."_

"_You think she'll come back without Sasuke then?" Naruto asked, now finally grasping the meaning behind "hardheaded moods."_

_The blonde woman shrugged. "Maybe-"_

"_Well I don't believe you!" Naruto told her childishly as he crossed his arms and tilted his head up and away from her. The woman looked at him with an unbelieving stare. Just…how OLD was he?!_

"_Fine! How about we make a bet?"_

"_Bet? I don't have any money…I used it all to buy ramen." The cobalt-eyed man told her sheepishly. "It's okay, you can pay be back with hard labor." Ino grinned evilly. "If Sakura comes back with a sad look on her face, with or without Sasuke I win because she would've pushed him away. But if she comes back WITH Sasuke and a look far from sad…you win because she went back to him."_

"_What do I win if I win?" the blonde asked excitedly. The woman thought about this. "I'll give you some of my best flowers."_

"_Eh? Why can't you just buy me ramen-"_

"_TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT!"_

"_OKAY OKAY!!"_

Naruto grinned happily. He had won the bet, which Ino wasn't happy about at all. "You…bet on if I would chose Sasuke or not?" Sakura asked in disbelief as Ino disappeared behind the counter and into the back room.

The spiky-haired blonde looked at her even happier. "Yup! I won the bet. I knew you wouldn't be in a hard-headed mood Sakura-chan."

Something seemed to snap as the woman raised an eyebrow. "…Hardheaded…NANI?! (**A/N: it means what**)"

"SHANNARO!!"

"Wha- Sakura-chan-"

WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

As Ino came back with an assortment of red, blue and purple flowers she found Naruto face flat on the wood floor with his butt in the air. Sasuke looked as if something had come out of the wall and grinned at him, and Sakura was simply smiling sweetly.

'_Note to self: don't piss pink-headed woman off.' _Sasuke thought quietly as he tried to regain his composure. With a flower pot in one hand and her other and on her hip, Ino commanded him to stand up.

"I just cleaned that floor! I don't want your slobber on it!"

Slowly, Naruto sat up so that he was kneeling as he rubbed his cheek. Then he noticed the flowers. "Those are your best flowers?" Naruto asked, noticing it had strange spots on them.

Ino grinned. "Yup! I've been growing them for awhile now. They're special to me, so you better take care of them Naruto." She warned, giving him a scary, intimidating glare.

"Ino!" Sakura began. Those were the flowers that had come from the rare seeds her parents had given her before they retired. They truly were her best plants for they grew in sunlight and moonlight and barely ever had to be watered.

"We have to get going." He told her gently. Naruto who had stopped gawking at the pot was shocked by how…tender the Uchiha's voice was. Ino nodded. "I'm sure Sakura will tell you how to take care of them later. They could help you guys out, since you're going to become a doctor. My mom told me that they can cure any type of poison, but the rest of its uses I'd have to figure out on my own."

The pinkette's eyes widened. "I-Ino-pig are you saying-?!"

Her best friend only grinned. "Clearly you aren't meant to stay here with me all your life, Sakura. You're 18 now, so I can't tell you what to do anymore. So," she turned to Sasuke and walked over to him after giving the pot to Naruto to examine.

"This time, I'm letting Sakura stay with you free of charge. So take care of her. I don't want her to come back here unless it's to visit. Because, lord or not, you WILL die if you hurt her." She warned as she poked his chest.

Sakura gasped in shock as Sasuke closed his eyes; as if taking all that happened in. "Aah." He finally replied.

Then, she turned to Sakura. "You're gonna become a great doctor Sakura. Just don't let the past cloud your decisions. And make sure you come visit me every once and awhile because whether you end up staying in Konoha or not my family is the one that raised you and your big forehead!"

The women hugged tearfully. Though it had been rocky between them at times and were at each other's throats, the two were like sisters, and would miss each other like a part of them was going with them.

When the two were done hugging Sakura found Sasuke behind her. "Sasuke…are you sure you want me to return to Uchiha castle with you?" she asked hesitantly. "After all I did I'm surprised you would even look at me-"

The man took another step towards her so the gap between them was filled. "Aah." He answered before he cupped her chin with one hand and leaned forward, pressing his lips on hers chastely. The blondes gaped at this bold move. Sakura blushed when he pulled away.

"I-I better go p-pack." Sakura stammered before she retreated to her room and Sasuke smirked. Because for the first time in awhile, both blondes were completely speechless.

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After Sakura and Ino said their final goodbyes the three set off towards Uchiha castle with their bags. With Sasuke and Naruto helping her, it only took about 10 minutes to get back.

And immediately they were greeted by the guards. Among them were Yoroichi and Fuuyuki. "SAKURA-SAN!! YOU'VE RETURNED!!" they exclaimed happily as she smiled sheepishly at them.

"I didn't really have a choice." Sakura replied with a small laugh. Sasuke closed his eyes as his mouth twitched and Naruto grinned.

"Shall I escort you to your room?" the two asked, still smiling. But Sakura stole a glance at Sasuke (which he noticed) before smiling at the guard politely. "Actually I think I'm gonna let Sasuke do it. It IS his castle after all. Ne Sasuke?"

'_Sneaky little…'_"Aah. Let's go." He replied monotonously to her. The guards looked puzzled and looked Naruto who only shrugged but grinned inwardly. After all, Sasuke had threatened him to throw him off the castle roof if he told anyone about him and Sakura before he confronted the elders about it.

This time, he had a feeling that Sakura was here to stay.

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And as they made it back to Sakura's old room the two were greeted cheerfully by the guards.

"It feels so good to be back here!" Sakura exclaimed happily after the two had climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor and entered her room.

She heard him drop her bags in the corner near the door in compliance. Though Sasuke didn't say anything she knew he felt the same.

"It feels gloomier than I remembered, ah. That's better." Sakura commented with a bright smile, drawing the shades open and revealed the setting sun.

The young Uchiha's obsidian orbs seemed to widen slightly when he stared at the pink-haired girl. She seemed to shimmer in the orange, red, and yellow rays emitting through the window. He closed the door and walked over to her, lightly pressing his body against hers and rested a hand against the window pane.

"Sasuke…?" she asked, slightly puzzled when his raven locks covered his eyes as he nuzzled her neck. "You aren't ever leaving like that again." Sasuke told her, only it sounded more like a command.

Sakura smiled at his possessive nature while her hands touched his chiseled chest hidden inside his robes. "I don't plan on it."

"Good. Otherwise," he paused to kiss her jaw and trailed his lips up to her ear. "I'll send all of Uchiha castle to come drag you back."

"Oh? Is that a threat, Uchiha?" the woman asked playfully. She felt him shake his head. "It's a promise." Sakura stared at him skeptically. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"I'd hide." She challenged.

"I'd find you." He countered back.

A smirk curled at her lips as she raised her head so it rested on the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. "I might just have to hold you to that now."

Something along the lines of a scoff came out of the Uchiha as he held her tighter. "You're annoying, you know that?"

A series of giggles erupted from her as she nodded. "So I've been told." Sasuke 'hned' before dipping down and kissing her chastely. But all chastity went out the window when he began to nibble on her lower lip. In response Sakura tugged at his raven locks and moaned softly into their kiss.

He pulled away, almost making her whine from frustration. Smirking, he whispered something in her ear that made her turn redder than a tomato. "My room. Now."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but Sasuke quickly silenced that with a push of his hips and a rough yet gentle kiss that destroyed any type of defiance she could've had.

"A-Ah bedroom..." she murmured against his lips. The smirk widened at the 2 words before he grabbed her wrist and nearly ran out of the room.

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'_I wonder if Hinata-chan's up…' _Naruto thought cheerfully. He hadn't been able to talk to her all day since he was playing "match-maker" with Ino.

Before Sasuke met Sakura things around Uchiha castle were dull and repetitive. But once she moved in and began taking care of Hinata everything seemed to become more exciting. The guards started to enjoy their jobs and got compliments every so often from the certain pretty pink-haired girl. And the cooks' food seemed to get better and better (to Naruto anyway).

Even the elders became more laid-back and hadn't lectured Sasuke about anything. It was as if Sakura was the castle's breath of fresh air, and it felt nice.

And for the first time in years Sasuke was truly content. One could even say he was happy; in love. Because he had proved everyone wrong. Uchiha Sasuke had chased after a girl and brought her back even though SHE was the one that left him.

But Naruto's happy mood would change when he saw Hinata coming around the corner with fear in her eyes.

At first, he smiled, not noticing it at first. "Oh, Hina-"

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried as she ran into his arms fearfully. Puzzled, the smile started to leave his face as he touched her shoulders. "Did you have another bad dream?"

Frantically the dark-haired woman shook her head. "I-It's Shikamaru-kun! I told him about Gaara-kun acting strangely a-and it looked like t-there's something wrong with him-"

"Eh? Where is he now?" he asked her, completely serious now. "I-I don't know…he might be in the infirmary-"

"Well if you think there's something wrong with him we better find him! Come on, Hinata-chan!" Naruto told her as he grabbed her arm and hurried down the stairs with her. But even in the midst of panic a tiny shy smile appeared onto her lips as a blush burned her cheeks.

'_H-He saw that I was worried…and he cared…Naruto-kun…' _

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"This has become most bothersome for me!" hissed an angry man as he hit his desk in aggravation. The red-headed man with pale blue eyes didn't flinch in the slightest to this rage. He was used to it after all.

"Are you positive the heiress has recovered her voice, Gaara?" the man hissed again. Gaara nodded. "That's correct, Orochimaru-shishou." he replied emotionlessly.

At first, the man stared at him with monstrous rage, but it changed into an evil, bitter smile. "So, the heiress AND the flower are now standing in my way once more."

"Orochimaru-shishou does that mean-"Gaara dreaded inside. The yellow-eyed man looked at him with a maniacal chuckle. "Unless Sasuke-kun brings random girls into his chambers named Sakura." He replied, recalling the events from earlier that evening_._

_Orochimaru cheerfully strolled down the halls on the 3__rd__ floor. Most of the people that posed as a threat in his diabolical plan were…taken care of. Especially a certain pink-headed girl and Kaito; the two people closest to Sasuke. Now everything would go more smoothly._

_But then he heard something that made his blood boil. It was a sound that could only belong to a woman coming out of Sasuke's room. The snake man pressed a pale ear against the closed door and his eyes widened with rage, confirming it. _

"_Sas__**uke**__...!" a woman moaned in ecstasy, muffled voice gratefully behind the door. But this wasn't just any voice. It was mysteriously familiar to him, and Orochimaru was no fool. This voice belonged to none other than Sakura._

'_So the flower has made a return to Uchiha castle after all. This will prove quite troublesome for me if she continues to manipulate and strengthen the Uchiha's heart.' He thought grimly before storming back into his office to summon Gaara._

"If this continues, everything we have worked for will come to an abrupt end." Orochimaru explained the man as he held up a picture of a man and examined it. "No matter though. The flower WILL be dealt with."

"What are you planning to do with her, Orochimau-shishou?" Gaara asked, successfully hiding his concern. The evil man walked in front of him and cupped the pale-blue eyed man's chin. "I will simply manipulate her into turning against the Uchiha with an offer she can't refuse."

"And if she does?" he asked, making the man frown at first. But the smirk returned when Orochimaru grabbed the picture on his desk and showed him the emotionless emerald-eyed man in the picture. "Despite the love she holds for Sasuke-kun there is still a part of her heart that holds great hate for this man. I plan to bring out that hatred. The flower will simply become another pawn in my game of chess until she's nothing but a weed and disposed of."

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Shikamaru crept up to the secret passageway up to the lunar room. He had stumbled upon the room on accident one day when searching for the spare room of gauze and medicine.

Years ago, when he first arrived, Sasuke and Naruto had quarreled and beat each other pretty bad. In the end the cause wasn't about anything serious; tempers had simply boiled over because of the heat. And when treating Sasuke's wounds he accidentally got some of his blood on his hands. Hence, allowing him access into the room.

"Kaito-san." Shikamaru called once he entered the room. The brown-haired man wasn't sure how exactly did he know that Kaito had been brought into this particular room, but when he noticed the small, very visible spot of blood on the floor next to the bed where Gaara had lain he knew something was wrong.

At first he figured Gaara had been the one injured, but Hinata had clarified that the man was alright. Which left Kaito. He must've discovered something and attempted to confront either Gaara or Hinata, but was unsuccessful.

Yet, if he was injured, why had he been brought to the lunar room?

He heard a groan that was barely audible, confirming that Kaito was indeed in the room. Shikamaru hurried in the direction of the voice. And he was nearly horrified by the sight.

The man was haggard and lain out on the floor a large gash had been taken care of and attempted to be wrapped without reopening the wound- which apparently had been done by a kunai. But he was still in bad shape.

"Who- did this to you?" Shikamaru demanded as he knelt beside the man. "…Gaara…" was all the old man could manage.

Anger spread over the pony-tailed man. So Gaara WAS part of Orochimaru's plans. But when he regained his memories did his intentions come back?

"No, you got it all wrong...Shika…he's playing the part…" Kaito told him painfully when he noticed the rage in his brown eyes. The genius looked at him. "How can you say that?! That wound looks fatal-"

But a smile played out on the old man's crinkled face. "Aah. Exactly."

Shikamaru began to understand. "So you mean to tell me that by pretending to kill you by STABBING you, he saved you?" he watched Kaito nod. "Orochimaru…and Saito…were watching him the entire time-from the shadows. If- he didn't play his part, I would've been killed. In a twisted way, the boy saved me…"

"But that doesn't explain why you're in here."

"I…don't understand it myself, but Saito seems to have brought me here and treated my wounds." The old man explained. Shikamaru gawked at him with disbelieving eyes and scoffed. "Maybe the bastard isn't so bad after all?"

"He's being…bribed with power that will not be given to him. Saito mainly complies to Orochimaru's demands out of fear. Shikamaru…he plans to overthrow Sasuke…at any cost. You must- stop him."

The man nodded. "Kiba and Shino are currently investigating this. I won't let those bastards succeed."

Then, the two heard a faint noise, as if someone had entered the room. "Quickly Shikamaru- you must leave! There's a passageway in the bookcase near the lunar flowers. Pick up- the red book. The passageway leads…to the infirmary."

"But- Kaito-san-"

"No. If you are caught you will surely die. Now go!" the man hissed at him. Shikamaru hesitated before hurrying off towards the bookcase, snatched the red book and watched a staircase suddenly appear. Once he stepped in, the book mysteriously disappeared from his hands along with the lunar room.

Quietly he returned to the infirmary, just as Kaito had ordered. _'I'll come back for you Kaito. I promise I won't let anyone die by their hands anymore.'_

But how?

**TBC…**

**Sasuke and Sakura are reunited and Naruto and Hinata's relationship is beginning to form into something more. But Orochimaru has other plans for "the flower" by manipulating her with hatred for an emerald-eyed man. Who is this man to her and what does Orochimaru plan to use her?**

**Stay tuned!**

**XD Sorry, I had this strange urge add that little ending part in. This chapter was actually difficult to end because I didn't want to rush the plot too much. Next upload will be…probably when I finish writing it…heh. But I promise it'll be soon because I owe it to you guys.**

**Why? Because Rose is the most popular story I've ever written and has gotten over 700 REVIEWS!! Just how many will I get when this is over ;)? After the ending I'm going to post a special tribute chapter for EVERY READER (including your new + old name. So if you were mrpotatohead in the past and mrspotatohead now I'll put both!)**

**Till nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx **


	40. You Have One Month

**I see most of you guys are catching onto my little hint about liking long comments ;). It took about 2 hours to reply back to all you guys-which I don't mind at all. Read each others comments along with yours. You might just get a spoiler or answer or two ;).**

**Also, I see most of my readers were ecstatic about Sasuke and Sakura getting back together. But one reader in particular was surprised for sticking them together so quick. I'll tell you why:**

**The main pairing IS SasuxSaku, yet it isn't the MAIN plot which was why I wanted them back together so soon. ****For what's coming up in the future, they'll need each other.**** Heh. I'm glad you guys enjoyed that little bedroom scene as well. I had fun writing it. One could say…I had a crazy look on my face while I was writing it. XD. **

**Special Thanks To (all my lovely readers XD.):**

**Twilight Shadowxx- (new reader!! aweee that means alot :). Arigato. Please stick by me until the end, I promise to try and make it worth your while!!)**

**countrygurl514- (new reader!! YOU'RE REMARKABLE!! I can't believe you honestly read my story in one day. -sniff- it really does mean alot since this is one of the more lengthy stories on ...please stick by me until the end I promise to try and make it worth your while!!)**

**Never-quits-Never-backs-down- (chocolate hair... O.o? and heh you aren't supposed to see lemons in T rated fics, and I'm sure you guys will never see lemons in any of my stories. I've never had a talent for them. Only suggestive themes XD!)**

**minniemousemom  
**

**Lil sweetpea27 (I'm not sure if you're a new reader or not…)**

**Sasukeztruelove- (I'm not sure if you're a new reader but kyaaaa you make me laugh XD!! please stick by me until the end, I promise to try and make it worth your while!)**

**xXSasuxSakuXx- (You are ridiculous. Seriously you're crazier than me-and that's pretty bad lol. ...Word of advice...no more coffee O.o. But anyway, heh yeah. Guys have troubles swallowing their pride and pride was the reason why they didn't want to go after each other. Heh yeah. I love my best guy friend. No matter how many fights I have with him or how mad I get I can't stay mad at him for too long. It's too tiresome, but it's a love-hate sort of thing. If I didn't partially love him I'd hate him. Yet, he doesn't think so. He always sing-songs "no you don'tttttt you loveee meee ;)" ugh. He's going to die. Oh! crispy-chan has a story out? I'll be sure to read it sometime and give her my feedback! **

**I'm not sure if I'm going to make a sequel. I might break up the ending if it gets too long. )**

**xImCharmedx- (. So I almost forgot your name on here because it mysteriously disappeared. But I found you! Everything will unfold very soon, so good luck on your finals!!)**

**Shikamaru's Baby A.K.A Ino- (Hah NAO!! Oh lordy. Oh, it's so hot and humid here I think I would've given up if I was still in school! Good luck with your finals!)**

**uchiha helena-hime- (ahh another one of my insanely long commenters i look forward to reading these. Its up to 5 mins now yet I'm not sure how to reply to it...oh, and it was difficult writing the part with Sasuke and Sakura. At first, I was going to have her deny him until he was walking away then glomp him butttttt I remembered Naruto and Ino and a heated make-out session where they were wouldn't have been the best solution XD. Was the bet really that funny? heh I thought of it when I thought about me and my friends...my best guy friend and I used to make bets all the time until I threatened to castrate him...As for the manga I think Sasuke has officially snap crackle popped! It pisses me off a little...)**

**Lady Sayomi (Sayomi-chan XD must you just emphasize my name in your reviews? I demand more words!)**

**xXSnow.FoxXx**

**Astrocam- (Awee thanks for such kind words it made me smile really big. I hope you continue to stick by me until the end! I promise to try and make it worth your while!!)**

**akatsuki-shadow-sakura (new reader...I think...I don't remember anymore...but Awee thanks . I have 4 other stories up. Two random, Turkey Day in Konoha and Only Time Will Tell. The other two is a story and it's sequel, Will You Let Me Go, Sakura? And I Just Can't Let You Go, Sasuke! Which I used to "test my ability" so they probably aren't that good… heheheh but anyways.)**

**lacusclien4 (everytime I look at your name I think of a cloud. heh. Random. But hahaha I had a lot of fun writing that part. Seriously I scared my sister.)**

**bloodygirl (Hina-chan won't actually really have to tell Naruto XD. It'll just happen coughcoughsjustgaveyouaspoilercough. Wait...what O.o 10 reviews? Do you mean 1000 XD?? I passed 10 a loooong long time ago...but anyways thanks so much for supporting me . Your kind words encourage me to write. **

**I have a ton of new story ideas so in case Holding Her Last Breath; Just 3 Days doesn't come out in time I'll have some one-shots or maybe a 5 chapter story for you guys. Oh, and some song fics as well. One will be InoxShika along with the other supporting pairings to the song Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade, another will be NaruxHina to a Paramore song, and SasuxSaku to Yellowcards Ocean Avenue.)**

**cutebutweirdlucy18- (Orochimaru is sort of...like that annoying pimple that won't go away. You know...the one that when you think you've gotten rid of it, it APPEARS somewhere else or worse it's under the skin so you CAN'T get to it. It's quite...troublesome. Heh. Heheheh. **

**And to tell you the truth...I'm not sure if they did 'it'. I mean they could've been doing 'other' things...who knows? They're hormonally frustrated teenagers. heh love that line. and cold weather is not cold weather without SNOW!)**

**Animeartist17- (XD ahh I'll think about it. I'll tally up all the votes sometime...)**

**Kimyuri-chan (- -" I don't remember if you're a new reader...sorry!)**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- (ooh my smart chibi musa-chan :) you shall see if you're right. And yes yes, you WILL see more drama. It might overwhelm you guys...)**

**kt.1z.awesome- (heh. I'm still partially senile so of course I'm still gonna mess with you guys. Fortunately I'm getting help in a retirement hospital as I type this with my wrinkled hands and arthritis...nah I'm just kidding. It'd be funny if I was though. This chapter is more dedicated to NaruxHina. But soon there will be drama followed by more drama, sabotage anddddd more drama :D!!)**

**Drake Hellion- (In this story, because it's not following the actual storyline, Sasuke's AWARE of the Sharingan but he doesn't exactly use it. You'll see if he uses it later. Don't worry ;) )**

**ItaSaku29 **

**Hoshikok**

**Kakashi500**

**QuietRiver (Heh I could've, but I just MIGHT have Sakura in a way save Sasuke...but I totally did NOT tell you that possibility ;) )**

**SasuSaku13636- (Heheh...nahhh this story she's not gonna get pregnant. Most of you guys keep forgetting about Orochimaru...lol don't count him out just yet)**

**sakura the lover **

**liljapangr103**

**IMaCHERRYBlossom- (awee thanks :). As I said up top I'm not sure if there's going to be a sequel. If I get enough feedback on it there's gonna be a sequel. And oh, don't worry. A lot of the variables you guys overlook are actually important :D!)**

**lito-pink-chihuahua- (yeah, I just can't make Gaara the bad guy...and to be honest I'm not entirely sure myself how I update so fast. You guys are my main source of motivation though.)**

**sasusaku779- (hah. I know I forgot to study for the right exams because we have a block schedule- 4 class every other days so I have 8 classes. So yeah...heh but I'm glad I made your day!! Good luck with the rest of your exams. also, as I said with one of my readers above I'm not sure if there's going to be a sequel. I'll do a poll to see :) and tally it up.)**

**Namine-sama**

**... **

**ToraHimeSama- (Things will work out in the end. Don't worry tora-chan :). I love to add in a little comedy in the midst of panic and drama. I never can be entirely serious heh.)**

**i love hershey **

**Kawaii.Miyu.chan- (ahh miyu-chan you truly are kawaii . Kyaaa you're so random! I love it! If you love strawberries I'll call you miyu-ichigo-chan because ichigo means strawberries along with like number one protector-it's the bleach character's name meaning)**

**one2bLoved- (kyaaa you and another one of my readers just MIGHT be right with this XD! heh. EHHHH o.O? Ino and Naruto? HAH! That's different. but awe...I'm going to miss your reviews. You're one of the readers that have been with me in the beginning . So make sure you come back with a very lengthy comment XD.)**

**Kurai Raiku-Kurai Kisaki**

**You Are My Brand Of Heroin. (XD was it really? Heh, not like the bedroom scene.)**

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"Hinata-chan he's not here…" Naruto grunted in frustration while he scratched his head and looked around the empty infirmary. Hinata looked down, embarrassed by being wrong. "He isn't in his room?"

The midnight black haired girl shook her head. "I-I thought he would be down here since he isn't r-really seen anywhere else," but she paused to look up at the blonde who had a boyish grin on his face.

"Don't feel bad, pineapple-head probably got hungry or constipated." Naruto told her confidently. Hinata almost choked at this. Pineapple head? Constipated? Suddenly the thought of an _actual _pineapple head with a scrunched up face, running to the bathroom appeared in Hinata's mind.

And the mental pictures were terrifying…

"N-Naruto-kun!"

"What! Why else would he have a weird look on his face? You said so yourself-"but his grin faltered when the heiress lowered her head and put a hand up to her mouth. When she began to shake Naruto's eyes widened "Ah- n-no Hinata-chan don't be upset I was just kidding-"

"Hee, hee." Then he heard the tiny sound emit from her. A joyous, sweet sound. She was laughing. At him! Which made him funny!

'_And Sasuke said that I would make little kids cry with my jokes…' _The blonde thought triumphantly. Naruto began to make scrunched up faces that symbolized how Shikamaru would look if he were…constipated.

At first, Hinata gave him a strange, disgusted expression before bursting into a fit of giggles. And it made him grin even wider than before. "Y'know Hinata-chan, you should laugh more. It sounds pretty." Though it was only a tiny compliment, Hinata's face reddened with embarrassment.

She turned away from him, holding her bright red cheeks and murmured to herself. "I-I have a pretty laugh? N-Naruto-kun likes it w-when I laugh? D-Does he mean that he likes me o-or is he just b-being nice…?"

"Oi, Hinata-chan…are you ok? You're talking to yourself…" Naruto asked her, slightly confused for her voice had lowered so low it the words sounded incoherent; almost inaudible.

"I-It's nothing! M-Maybe we should c-check the kitchen?" She eeped. A yelp escaped her lips when Naruto threw his arms around her shoulders. "Great idea Hinata-chan! Then we can get bushy brows to make us some ramen!" he complimented light-heartedly.

As the two walked to the kitchen Hinata smiled and felt the numbing dizzy feeling that was brought by the heavy blush burning her whole face. Though Naruto didn't seem to catch on, every minute she was spending beside him was bringing her closer to him.

And at that moment the thought of going back to her clan, resuming her duties as heiress, and the ridicule she received for being "inferior" to her cousin Neji dissipated from her mind. Because the only thing on it was…

'_Naruto-kun…'_

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"Oi, Shikamaru! Ya in here?" Kiba called, barging into the infirmary with Shino. The two looked around before they found Shikamaru with his hands over his head, sitting on the bench. "Things are more troublesome than I could've ever imagined." He replied while looking up at them; looking positively haggard. "Kaito is-"

"Alive? I see you've finally caught on." Shino responded coolly. At first, the ponytail haired man looked at him questionably but then gave a bitter chuckle. "I should've known you'd bug them."

"Not all of them. I didn't bug the spy Kabuto nor Orochimaru. But the bugs I planted into the wall are following the scent of the female bug that bit Gaara. So far he doesn't suspect a thing."

Kiba hit him on the back with a grin. "So you're keeping tabs on him! Who knew you were such a smartass Shino? "

The man whose eyes were hidden behind dark shades said nothing while Shikamaru turned to Kiba. "What about you?"

The man with signature red markings on the side of his face shrugged. "Nothing you guys haven't. Saito had the scent of Kaito's dried blood on him so he's been taking care of him for awhile now." He paused to grin sadistically. "Oh, I heard Orochimaru spying on Sasuke and Sakura possibly _getting it on_ in his room earlier."

The men choked on their spit. Sasuke and Sakura getting it….the mental pictures would give them nightmares for months.

"He didn't look too happy about it either." Kiba added when he noticed the two looked rather pale and awkwardly silent. But the grinned returned. "Heh! Maybe he has a crush on him I mean he's the only one that calls him 'Sasuke-kun' seriously what guy that ISN'T gay calls their superior-"

"Kiba, now is not the time to be joking." Shino reminded him monotonously. Which made the dog-like man grumble. "Well not everyone can be so boring and quiet like you…"

Shikamaru stayed silent as he stared down at the floor. "Kaito told me that Gaara was the one that stabbed him, yet it wasn't to kill him, only put up a front." He murmured quietly which got the men's attention.

"He was linked to Hinata's rape case. Obviously, Gaara had a change of heart which sabotaged his plans." Shino concluded. The ponytailed man nodded. "When his memories returned, the guilt did as well, which no longer made him want to be loyal to Orochimaru."

"But if he's against that bastard why isn't he acting on it? Why isn't HE down here trying to figure out how to rebel against him?" The Inuzuka demanded.

"It can't be easy for him. Before he regained all his memory back he told Sakura that Orochimaru did something to him and he woke up with no memory of what he did or who he was. So obviously, the fear of losing what he knows for a second time is stopping him."

"Che! This bastard's one hell of a manipulator. So that means we have to pretend we DON'T know he tried to kill Kaito or what that he's linked to Orochimaru still?" Kiba asked.

Shikamaru nodded. "Aah. It's troublesome, but until we can catch him faltering in one of Orochimaru's plans we can't act. This could all be a double front."

"Double front?" Both Shino and Kiba asked. He nodded. "He could've purposely stabbed Kaito to sell out Saito whom he could've known would betray Orochimaru. We can't confront him until we're absolutely sure all this isn't just one big troublesome act. But in the meantime, keep your eyes and ears open for anything suspicious, and talk about this to NO ONE."

"Understood."

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"…Betrayal?" Saito repeated as he appeared before Orochimaru. Gaara was on one side of him, Kabuto on the other. The snake man grinned evilly. "Of course. Have you not heard our lord and the flower in his chambers?"

Something caught in his throat. By flower he meant Sakura. She had returned. Which meant Sasuke had gone to Konoha to go get her…

Because he was in love with her.

"You look shocked, Saito-_san_. Are you surprised that the Uchiha's finally found love? Or perhaps something else is bothering you…?" Kabuto leered. He frowned as he looked him in the eyes, but said nothing.

The man chuckled evilly. "Kabuto you tease too much. I'm beginning to suspect you don't trust your comrade. Yet I don't hold it against you. Saito DOES disappear at times."

The spectacled man returned his evil grin. "Forgive me, Orochimaru-sama. Please inform him about your plan to manipulate Haruno Sakura." The pale man turned his attention back to Saito.

"Because the flower has stepped in my way once more I've created the perfect plot to use her in my little game of chess." Orochimaru added. "As I told Gaara, her love for Sasuke is strong. Strong enough to the point where it is almost sickening. Yet, deep down the hatred for her father burns holes in her love."

Once more he picked up the picture of the emotionless emerald-eyed man and showed Saito who almost gasped. "…Haruno Hideaki." The monstrous-eyed man leered at him with delight. "I see you know this special pawn of mine. You must know what my plans are now."

Saito knew better than anyone who the emerald-eyed man was to Sakura. He was going to use her father to manipulate him. Though he hadn't seen it up close, he faintly remembered Kabuto telling him that the things Orochimaru knew were almost inhuman. For he was the sole person that "locked away" Gaara's memories; practically giving in amnesia.

So if he was capable of that, Saito couldn't imagine what he could do to a hopeful girl in search of answers that only her father could answer. "Aah, I remember him, Orochimaru-sama. But I believed he was dead."

This made both Orochimaru and Kabuto chuckle. "Of course he's dead! But his poor daughter doesn't believe so. Which makes her the perfect pawn…"

"How long will the plan take to commence?" he asked hoarsely.

"It's bothersome, but a little over a month. I'm sending one of your comrades to find the necessities for this to work. But if things go as planned you will meet her soon enough."

Kabuto chuckled. "Orochimaru-sama, sometimes I think you're even too wicked for me; manipulating that poor girl Kin into believing you'll resurrect her long lost lover…whom YOU sent to be murdered."

This made both Saito and Gaara sick. Orochimaru truly was a sick, sick man. Who was obviously knew how to manipulate women's emotions. "In the meantime, you have one month to prove your loyalty to me by monitoring the heiress's and that blonde boy's activities. It will become an annoyance if she becomes…involved with him. For her ability to talk has returned.If you succeed, I'll let you live. Understand?"

Once again, something caught in Saito's throat. Orochimaru knew that, at times, his faith in him would falter. But could anyone blame him? The guy was one **sick **son-of-a-bitch! How could ANYONE but their entire trust in him?

But that didn't matter. If he didn't, he would lose his life. Which meant Kaito would've nearly died and many others inhabiting Uchiha castle because of his betrayal. And he couldn't face Mikoto in the afterlife with that guilt.

"I understand, Orochimaru-sama."

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Hinata and Naruto walked arm and arm as they laughed down the halls together. Naruto had convinced Hinata that Shikamaru was alright and to enjoy the rest of the day with him. She, after all, hadn't been able to get out of her room much even after she recovered.

But as strange as it was, no one but Shikamaru had asked her what happened that night. Not like she minded too much. Reliving the horrid memories of that night was unbearable and were better left in the past.

"_Hinata!" Neji called to her when he saw her run out of the castle. This was becoming more like routine; for after each fight she had with her father she would run away. Normally when he called out to her Hinata would stop, turn around, and apologize for acting so chidish. But this time, she merely turned around and gave a sad smile. _

"_W-Will you tell my father this time, Neji nii-san?" she asked. His eyes softened and shook his head. "No. But don't come back until you're sure this is the place you want to be bound to until the day you die." He replied, a little colder than he wanted. At first it startled her, but happiness filled her eyes to the brim as she thanked him humbly until he saw nothing but a spin of her long, dark locks and hurried out of the gates._

_Neji walked down the halls until he stopped to peer at a man much taller and older than he; with cold, lavender-eyes. "Did my daughter run off again?" he asked him. The coffee color haired man nodded his head and frowned when his superior chuckled icily. "She will return. She understands that abandoning her clan is intolerable and will jeopardize the honor of the Hyuuga clan if she does not."_

_Though Neji said nothing, he wondered how his clan ever became so obsessed with honor instead of their heiress's happiness? _

_Hinata ran as a soft breeze rolled by. It felt nice to be away from her clan. Away from her duties as future head of the clan, but most of all, she was away from her father who thought she wasn't sufficient enough to lead her clan. Hinata stopped to breathe as she looked up at the night sky; her skin glowed by the gleam of the full moon and remembered Neji's words._

'_Don't come back until you're sure this is the place you want to be bound to until the day you die.' Though he hadn't said it, Neji had known she was nothing but unhappy; even with his and Tenten's company. She smiled again but the smile was quickly wiped off her face when she heard a creepy voice fill the air._

"_My, my you've gotten quite beautiful- just like your mother…hime-chan." Hissed the voice from the shadows. Suddenly, three men appeared. One was around her age with blood red hair and cold, pale blue eyes. The one that had talked was abnormally pale and his yellow eyes were that of a snake's as he grinned at her. The third was a brown-haired, spectacled man who wore an equally sinister grin._

"_W-Who are you three?" Hinata asked. When the men took a few steps forward, defensively she took a few steps back. This made the man chuckle. "You seem surprised by our presence, hime-chan, yet you're quite far from home. Tell me, did your father Hiashi drive you away again?"_

_Lavender eyes filled with fear. How did he know her father? How did he know her?! Had he been watching her? "S-Stay back!" she told them, taking a fighting stance. But as she did, her eyes met the monstrous stare and suddenly, she could no longer move._

"_It's a shame you had to be born into such an annoying family. You could've lived." Orochimaru told her as he touched her face sadistically. "But sadly, we're going to have to rid you off the face of the earth. Otherwise, my plans won't follow through." The man paused to snap. _

_Gaara stepped forward and set Hinata down on the ground, straddling her. "Between you and me, Hinata-hime these type of missions are sickening."_

"_P-Please!! Why are you doing this?!" She choked as a strong hand wrapped around her neck to keep her from getting any louder.._

_Wearing an expressionless face he answered her. "I'm entitled to." He replied. Hinata struggled to lean her head up and stare up at him, unable to open both eyes. She was beginning to lose consciousness. _

"_E-Entitled to? D-Don't you know what's right or wrong…?" she asked below him. The look in her lavender eyes made the man look away and slightly loosen his grip. "I-I…"_

"_P-Please! D-Don't do this!!" Hinata pleaded again as Gaara covered her mouth with one hand and pinned her by her forearms with the other. The red-haired man scanned over the woman yet no lust filled his eyes. The look deep in his eyes were of remorse. Which meant he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to hurt her._

"_You don't want to do this, do you, onii-san…?" she asked quietly through his fingers. Hinata confirmed this when he flinched. _

"_Your screaming it, in your eyes, d-deep down, aren't you, onii-san?" Hinata called to him once more, her voice rising when he jerked his head away from her. She was slowly eating away at his will to hurt her; slowly putting reason in the back of his head and heart._

"_This doesn't have to be painful-"_

"…_Y-You don't really want to work f-for this evil man, ne?" _

"_Shut up…"_

"_If you know what you're doing is wrong, why don't you rebel against him?"_

"_I SAID SHUT UP!" he yelled, as he struck her face violently. He watched her shriek as he applied pressure to her one of her arms; snapping the bone instantly. _

_The pain was unbearable, but this didn't stop her. Or rather it couldn't. "You don't have to do this…nii-san. You don't have to be a m-monster." she asked, cringing in pain when he threatened to break her other arm._

"_Gaara…why are you letting this woman get to you?! Finish the job! She must not be kept alive!" Orochimaru hissed as he hovered over them, looking left and right cautiously. Though they were far out in a field in Konoha he wasn't sure if her screams could still be heard._

_She managed a smile. "G-Gaara, huh? Please oniisan, d-d-don't…don't ignore…that voice…telling you that this is wrong because you aren't- a monster…you're human." She told him weakly. The pain in her arm began to pulsate painfully throughout her entire body. It was almost unbearable, and for a second she believed she was dying._

_By the horrified look of realization was seen in his eyes, the Hyuuga heiress knew she had hit a nerve. How much had this boy been forced to suffer? How many lives had been taken before her? Hinata's eyes widened when he let out a scream of deep anguish._

'_Got him. Byakugan!' She thought before her eyes began to strain. They turned a pearl color before she pressed a hand against his stomach and with incredible force, he was thrown back. _

_Hinata took this as a chance to escape, jerked upward, and sprinted away. Kabuto darted after her, but Orochimaru stayed, watching the man cringe in pain. 'I hope he lives…if he does he won't be able to hurt people anymore.' She thought, running as fast as her legs could take her. But someone was running after her. What could she do with a broken arm!_

_Then, her foot caught on something, began to tumble down into a ditch. Her arm snapped into an uncomfortable position while clothes were shredded causing various scratches and bruises before landing at the bottom with a painful thud. Yet, her eyes stayed open and looked up at the man gleaming ominously in the moonlight. He had followed her down._

_Was this the end?_

_He touched her bloody face. "I could finish the job but… I owe your father a favor. So I'll pretend you died here. May we never cross paths again if you survive, Hinata-sama." And with that he disappeared._

_Hinata cringed with pain when it became unbearable. She had a broken arm in more than 3 places, and her ankle must've been injured while tumbling down. Even if she could move, it wouldn't get her very far. 'Is this…how I'm going to die…?' she asked herself before everything became dark, and she awaited death to take her._

But Kami had been merciful to her. She survived and wasn't able to remember what happened to her, but her ability to tell what happened was also taken away from her.

Yet it returned, with Naruto and Sakura's help. _"Don't tell anyone about what happened. Not even Naruto, okay Hinata? This is between you and me." _Shikamaru told her one day.

He informed her that he had linked Gaara and Orochimaru together before her memories returned to her. When she got her voice back Shikamaru confirmed that the men were behind her rape. He wasn't against her personally, but against the Hyuuga clan.

And the death of the heiress would cause conflict with the Uchiha clan had her body been found so close to Uchiha territory.

Shikamaru also mentioned that she must never walk around or be left alone, because if word got back to Orochimaru that her voice was back, he would try to kill her again. But even if it did, he wouldn't be able to if there were witnesses.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto asked in hesitation when he was idly done telling her a story about him and Sasuke. Though he still wore a goofy grin on his face, Hinata could've sworn his cheeks were slightly pink. "I wanna show you something." He grabbed her wrist gently before taking her to the courtyard.

-

-

-

"N-Naruto-kun the view is beautiful!" Hinata exclaimed in awe. Naruto gave her another goofy grin as they sat down on the grass and looked up at the sky. The night was cloudless and filled with tons of bright stars.

"T-The stars…they're so close up here…" she murmured as she laid down and raised a hand as if to reach up and touch the stars. Naruto leaned back on his hands. "Heh. They do, don't they?"

After a pause, she turned to look at him, her hand was still raised. "N-Naruto-kun w-why are you showing me this?"

The blonde thought about this and scratched his head awkwardly before speaking. "Well because you're special to me, Hinata-chan." The heiress's heart nearly leaped out of her chest as he said this.

A heavy blush covered her entire face as he laid down beside her while putting his hands behind his head. "Sasuke's mom told me and Sasuke that when we find someone we're comfortable with we should take them star-watching because the stars bring you closer no matter what…." He turned to look at her this time. Big, cobalt eyes stared at her tenderly.

"So…when…you're back at the Hyuuga castle…think about me every once and awhile…okay?-"but his voice trailed off when Hinata made a bold move. Slowly, she moved her body closer to him and rested her head on his chest. Hinata closed her eyes. "I will. A-Arigato for showing me this." _'I wish this night would never come to end…' _she thought before the two fell asleep under the night of the stars.

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Saito quietly walked over to the man who was still lying on the large, circular rug bearing the Uchiha crest and sat down.

"I see you're still asleep, Kaito-san." Saito murmured as he set down the gauze he was holding to undo the poorly wrapped bandages. "Orochimaru-sama plans to manipulate Sakura into turning against Sasuke with the hatred she has for her father. It'll take one month to prepare. He's beginning to lose faith in me, so I have one month to prove I'm loyal or I'll lose my life.It's probably because Gaara got his memories back. He's been following him faithfully; no matter what the request is…like a little drone. How can I be like that?! It's as if he has no mind of his own!"" the man protested angrily.

Kaito purposely stirred in his "sleep", causing the man to calm down a little. "Forgive me. Are you so disappointed in me that you stir in your sleep…?" he asked as he rewrapped his bandages to cover up the wound, which was almost fully healed.

"Kaito-san, if you somehow awake from your slumber, I've brought you some food. Please eat it; it'll speed up your recovery." He withdrew a sandwich from his sleeves and placed it on a cloth beside before taking his leave.

When the old man was sure he was gone, Kaito reached for the sandwich and began to nibble on it. But he set it down when he became embittered. He hoped Shikamaru would return soon for the horrid pale man had sunk to a new low. Now he was manipulating the poor girl's emotions to use against Sasuke.

'_Don't give into the temptation, Haruno-san…' _He prayed quietly, before drifting off into a troubled sleep.

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**TBC…**

**Orochimaru plans to use Sakura against Sasuke! But the preparations will take a month! What will he do in the meantime, did Sasuke and Sakura really "get it on", and what will happen between Naruto and Hinata?! Keep reading and find out!**

**So I read the latest Naruto Manga chapter and at the end Sasuke said to Madara that 'the things Itachi wanted me to see and the things I'm going to see are vastly different things. I know what his wishes were which is why I'm going to follow my own path! I'll revive the Uchiha my own way). I was seriously like, KYAAAHHH?! WHAT THE F-DID HE MEAN BY REVIVE HIS CLAN?! I'm dying seriously. I need to know . I'm completely in love with the new opening theme though. I listen to it all the time! (it's called blue bird by Ikimono Gakiri.)**

**If you don't know where this chapter is go to ! **

**Next update will be…ehh. I'm not sure. Look for it Mon-Weds next week if I don't die from the heat. But anyways…**

**Till Nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	41. Fillers

**Sorry guys I deserve to be hung for making you guys wait for so long…I haven't been on and I spent all of Tues so I could get this up early for you guys today (late) but unfortunately, someone made plans with me and I just got home. :(.**

**You guys will probably kill me for this too …but because I had to add an intervention between Orochimaru's plans, this is going to be a filler chapter. Which means NEXT CHAPTER will be sort of like the season finale XD! **

**Gah! I have so many readers now it's hard to keep track of you guys O.o I even forgot one of my cherished readers, passion244!! Gomen ne! And because this is such a LONG filler, I won't be adding my readers up here along with the replied to your comments (that'll add like another 7 pages on and this is already around 17…). But I promise I'll do it next time ****and**** have it up ON TIME!**

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"Momma…" Sakura murmured as she stirred in her sleep. Her eyes shot open when she felt that she wasn't alone. In fact she wasn't even lying on a pillow! Drowsily she lifted her head to peer up at the raven-haired man sleeping peacefully on his back. His mouth was twitched upward; almost smiling. A purely satisfied, male smile.

Then the memories of the night before came flooding back to her. And it made her blush furiously.

She had **slept **with him.

_The _Uchiha Sasuke.

IN HIS BED!

AND HE WAS SMILING ABOUT IT!

If Ino found out she would be **dead **for sure. It was her night back after all. And they weren't even married!

'_I feel so dirty…Kami-sama please forgive me I committed the ultimate sin!' _She thought as she tried to hurry out of his bed. Until a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back down to him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked with his eyes still closed, yet his expression looked amused. "S-Sasuke I have to get dressed…" Sakura replied timidly. Her face was red as a tomato when she realized they were both naked. He had seen her. **All **of her.

He smirked and revealed an obsidian-onyx eye. "Hn? Embarrassed?" Sasuke teased in a low, seductive tone and held her tighter; refusing to let her go no matter how hard she struggled. And as much as she didn't want to admit it Sakura wouldn't have minded, sleeping next to Sasuke for a few more hours. Her body was aching.

But a bath was calling to her. "N-No…I-I need a bath…" she protested weakly. Sakura heard him chuckle. The sadistic bastard was getting kicks out of this!

Yet when the man nuzzled her closer, her anger subsided. "I'm not letting you go yet." he murmured to her quietly. This made the pinkette smile. Perhaps he needed the closeness more than she did. "You're becoming quite possessive, ne?" she teased.

He simply 'hned' in response. Which made her giggle and lay her head back down on the bare, chiseled planes of his chest. Sakura was about to close her eyes when he asked something that made her blush a shade so dark it put her hair color to shame.

"You probably woke all of Konoha last night with your incessant moaning, though."

The woman hit his chest embarrassingly. "S-Sasuke!" then an evil smirk was appeared on her face. "That's not what _I _remember."

The raven-haired man lifted a brow. "Oh?"

The smirk didn't disappear as she levered herself so her face was directly above his. "Oh yes. From what I remember _you _ended up _shouting_ my name, Uchiha. The poor neighbors." To this, Sasuke's expression looked so shocked; as though he has been slapped in the face.

Defeated, his cheeks turned a rather pink color as he looked away. "Che, you're annoying."

A satisfied smirk was worn on the pinkette's lips. She had successfully silenced an Uchiha and wiped the smirk off his smug face. But she let out a yelp when she found herself pinned to the bed; the raven-haired man stationed above her.

He nibbled on her jaw. "We'll see who shouts whose name, Sa-ku-ra." He mocked, eyes gleaming with lust and determination. Sakura grinned evilly as her hands slipped from his grasp and went into his hair. "I'll hold you to that, Sa-su-ke-"but just as his lips crashed onto hers the door to his room shot open, revealing a very distraught Naruto.

The blonde ran over to the side of his best friend's bed, shouting. "SASUKE! I have to tell you something! I took Hinata-chan star-watching last night and we fell asleep in the-"

But when he saw a **naked**, pink-haired woman underneath a **naked **Sasuke, Naruto's eyes grew wide as dinner plates while his mouth dropped to the floor.

Sakura looked down at her bare chest which had been uncovered by the coverlet and noticed that Naruto was staring at it shamelessly.

Well at least it covered their lower halves.

She yelped before turning over and hiding her face in the pillow and giving a muffled order. "Naruto!! Get OUT!!"

"**Dobe**…." Sasuke growled as he sat up. Naruto backed up nervously. "S-Sasuke d-don't look at me like that…w-what are you doing with that lamp?"

"Baka!"

WHACK

"YARRRAAARRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

-

-

-

The guards appeared a few minutes later and found Sakura stomping on Naruto's headwhich was face down on the wood floor as she adjusted her kimono and scolded him. A broken lamp was a few feet away from the blonde's head. Sasuke on the other hand was sitting on his bed, shirtless; looking as if his mind was wandering.

"Erm…" one of the guards murmured, getting the three's attention. Quickly, Sakura stood straight and smiled sweetly. "Oh! Ohayo!"

"Haruno-san…why were you attacking Naruto?" asked the other guard who was staring at the poor, beaten man struggling to crawl away from them. "Attacking? Hehehe we were simply playing-erm…a little game! Yeah! That's it, and it kind of got out of hand." She replied quickly.

The two looked at her in disbelief. _'So early in the morning? The two look as though they just woke up…' _but by the look on their faces, Sasuke nor Sakura looked willingly to elaborate. And Naruto looked as though he were unconscious at the moment.

"I see…well…we mean no disrespect Haruno-san, but please be a little more…gentle with Naruto-san. We heard you three from the second floor." The guards told her politely before leaving the room, mumbling something about it being the first floor.

Sakura sighed as she sat down beside Sasuke. "You're going to hell for lying Sakura." Sasuke told her calmly before pausing to add, "And murder." Sakura looked down at Naruto and nudged him with a toe. He didn't move.

The pinkette laughed sheepishly. "Eh hehehe…." But was surprised when Sasuke pushed her back gently and nibbled on her ear. "Sasuke? What're you doing?" Sakura asked, wearing a puzzled expression.

"Finishing what we started." He replied which made her shiver as he peeled back a layer of her kimono. "B-But Naruto-"

"-Is unconscious on the floor." Sasuke smirked against her skin. "You're so bad, Uchiha." The woman replied as she giggled and kissed his jaw affectionately.

"Not as bad as you, Haruno."

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Naruto groaned and rubbed his throbbing blonde head. As he sat up, he looked around and realized he was in Sasuke's room. _'How'd I end up here? On the floor…?' _

When he shifted, a wave of dizziness set in. _'SHIT!! I feel like I got hit with a-'_but before he could even think it, Naruto noticed the broken lamp a few feet away from his feet.

"What the…"

"Oi, dobe. Get off my floor." Sasuke told him as he entered the room. The moment cobalt eyes met obsidian ones, the memories of what had happened came flooding back to him.

An evil grin appeared on his face as strolled over to him and draped an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "Soooo Sasuke. How was your night-or should I add in _this morning_?"

Inside, he smirked. His morning was hell of a lot better than it ever had been. Waking up to the beautiful pink-haired woman sleeping on his chest was something he wouldn't mind seeing for the rest of his life. But of course, he couldn't tell Naruto that. He'd never let him live it down.

So the Uchiha looked at him in annoyance. "…None of your business."

"Heh! You only say that when you don't wanna tell me something! But then again…_I_ wouldn't if I was caught having se-"

BOP!

"OWWW!! SASUKE-TEME! WHAT THE FU-"

"Speak of it to **anyone **and you're dead." Sasuke told him in a dangerous tone as Naruto rubbed his aching head. Today just wasn't his day. "Ok, Ok!…you should be put away for abuse and assault on your best friend…"

"Hn. Why were you in here anyway?" He asked, as he sat on his bed. The blonde sat beside him, giving it deep though. Sasuke watched his eyes lit up. "RIGHT! So…last night…I decided to take Hinata-chan star-watching because Mikoto-san told us when we were little that- we should and…You know the weather's been PERFECT out lately? What a coincidence since Sakura-chan came ba-"

"Spit it out, dobe." The raven-haired man replied menacingly. Naruto's constant rambles were getting more annoying by the second and it was making him impatient. Especially since what he was trying to say involved _Hyuuga _Hinata.

"You're so demanding teme…how does Sakura-chan put up with you?" The blonde grumbled. "Hn. Out with it already." The man replied, though he really didn't understand it either.

Naruto took a deep breath and scratched his head. "Well…so as I was saying I took Hinata-chan to go star-watching with me and we talked for a long, long time and well…she sorta…fell asleep…on me."

Sasuke looked at him dully. "That's it?" he asked. He was hoping SOMETHING had happened between them. Though he hadn't seen Hinata very much, from what Shikamaru had told him that Hinata had strong feelings for his noisy blonde friend.

Naruto have him a disbelieving stare. "Teme! What do you mean 'that's' it'?! HYUUGA Hinata-chan fell asleep on ME! OUTSIDE!"

"And…?"

"We're talking about HINATA-CHAN! THE HEIRESS OF HER CLAN! SHE' ACTUALLY IMPORTANT!" He shouted, grabbing the Uchiha's robes in frustration. Sasuke didn't stir. Over the years, if he had gotten paid for every time Naruto got mad, without the Uchiha fortune and being lord of Konoha he would be rich as hell.

Sasuke smacked his hand away so he released his clothes. "She fell asleep on you outside. So what, dobe?"

Naruto sighed and sat back down with a flop. "Well, unlike YOU Mr-I-had-sex-with-Sakura-the-day-she-came-back Uchiha…No girl's…really been or talked to me like that…"

"And you didn't like it?" Was he gay or something?

"I NEVER SAID THAT! I…like being around Hinata-chan-"

"Just tell her you like her already." Sasuke replied impatiently. Sakura had run off to take a bath, and he was hoping to join her. But by the looks of it, he wouldn't even be able to get to the first floor.

A blush burned on the cobalt-eyed man's cheeks. "I can't. Teme you can be with anyone you want but…she's important. She deserves someone as rich and powerful as her. Not…some guy like me."

'_So THAT'S what this was about. Naruto's never this deep.' _Sasuke thought. "Since when do you talk like that bastard Yozu?" he taunted. Naruto looked up at him with a miserable expression.

"Money or power doesn't mean a damned thing compared to love. The Hyuuga girl likes you for you. Even if you're a penniless, loud, irritating, short-tempered loser. "

Growing up, the elders had tried to convince him that the amount of money and power a person had made or broke him in the world. But his mother, father, and grandfather taught him differently.

"_In the end, a man who could rule everything and had access to all the riches in the world will be a thousand times more miserable than a man who's in love." _Mikoto had told him with a bright smile.

Naruto grinned, surprised by this statement. "Since when do you talk THIS much, teme? Usually you're cold and you don't say more than a couple words! Does sex really do that to you? 'Cause in that case you should-"

"Don't push it, dobe." Sasuke replied irritably, trying to hide the small smile on his lips. But of course he couldn't and the two grinned at each other. No matter what happened, or who came in or out of their lives Naruto and Sasuke would be inseparable.

To Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura filled the void in his heart. The brother and the lover. And to Naruto, though he had no memory of his part family, since they were separated at a young age, Sasuke and his became his as well.

The two were quiet for awhile before Naruto spoke. "So…you think I have a shot with her?" asking quietly as he scratched his head. Though he (tried) flirting with girls (who ignored him and went to Sasuke) he'd never truly liked any girl. They never got close to him for he was always second to the "handsome and mysteriously ice-hearted prince".

Only this time, the Hyuuga heiress had fallen for him. And in return, he fell for her. But best of all, she thought of Sasuke nothing more than a mutual political figure!

Sasuke scoffed. "You tell me."

The blonde, for the first time in years, didn't question him or demand a simpler answer. This time, he simply grinned. "Thanks teme." Then smugly added, "Y'know I think I'm gonna like having you and Sakura-chan together. You've gotten nicer!"

This earned him a shove. "Hn. You wish." Sasuke replied. The men were silent for awhile before Naruto nudged him. "Oi, teme when're you gonna pop the question to Sakura-chan?"

"Hn??" Sasuke demanded, a little startled. His blonde friend gave him a grin that mysteriously resembled a fox. "Well- you love her don't you? Don't you wanna keep her around? You already devirginized her-"

"Go find Hinata." The Uchiha interjected as he rose, quickly hiding his blush. "She's taking a bath eh- hey! TEME! Don't change the subject!"

"I'm not answering that-"

"Why not? Are you _afraid _to?"

"It's none of your business-"

"YOU ARE AREN'T YOU?! HAH! Sasuke's a scaredy-cat, Sasuke's a scaredy-cat!" Naruto sang, annoying him to no end.

"DOBE you're so anno-"

"YOU'RE MAD 'CAUSE I'M RIGHT!! Score 1 for Naruto, ZEROOOOOO for Sasuke!"

"**Dobe**...you better be as fast as you are annoying." Sasuke growled, picking up a shard of glass from his broken lamp. The grin was wiped off his face as he took a few steps back. "Eh- hey…I was just kidding around- you aren't really...Sasuke PUT THE GLASS DOWN- ARGGH THAT HURTS!! SAKURA-CHAN!!"

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Sakura sighed as she sunk deeper into the water and shivered delightfully. _'I could get used to staying here…this water is __**amazing**__!' _

Her jade orbs shifted to look at the woman next to her, looking just as pleased as she was. "So, what'd you do last night with Naruto?"

The woman eeped as her face turned an extremely dark red. "W-W-What do you mean?" this made Sakura smirk evilly and swim over to her. "Yoroichi spotted you guys out in the courtyard on the grass last night. Did anything…happen that you'd like to share, Hinata?"

"N-Nothing happened! I-I promise! W-We….just talked and well…"

"Well what? Hmmmm?"

"I sort of…fell asleep on his…c-chest." The woman said, playing with her fingers nervously. If it was possible, her face seemed to darken even more. Sakura grinned. "Is that all! That's cute."

Hinata looked at her puzzled. "W-What do you mean 'that's it'? H-Have you and Sasuke-san gone farther?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to burn red. "You know I think Fuuyuki and Yoroichi went to Konoha and got some of that really nice shampoo…you know the kind that makes your hair all shiny because-"

"S-Sakura!"

"Okay! But you have to **swear **not to tell **anyone**." Sakura whispered in a dangerous tone. Hinata backed away a little bit; frightened by the fiery glow in her eyes. "I-I promise."

"Swear it on your title as heiress!"

'_Have they really gone THAT far…?' _Hinata asked. Suddenly, mental pictures appeared in her mind and it nearly made her faint. Yet she managed to agree. She watched the pink-haired woman move even closer to her.

"The truth is…when me and Sasuke were putting away my stuff things got a little…heated and well- we…went back to his room…" Sakura's voiced trailed off as she turned her head away from her.

That's when her lavender spotted the light marks on her neck and it made her gasp. "S-Sakura! A-Are those…?"

When the emerald-eyed woman noticed her **gawking **at her neck, quickly she clasped a hand over her neck and blushed sheepishly. "Heh…well…."

She took this incoherent sentence for an answer and clasped her hands over her mouth. "Oh! S-So you and S-Sasuke-san…h-h-had…h-h-h-had-"

"Yes! We did! Last night and sort of this morning…" Sakura mumbled under her breath as she sunk lower into the water, deciding it was best not to add that Naruto walked in on them, they beat him with a lamp and then actually did it when he was unconscious…

She just hoped the Hyuuga wouldn't think low of her. Many of the women in town would've looked at her with a disgusted expression.

"I-I'm happy for you." Hinata murmured softly. In fact, it was so soft it was almost inaudible. Sakura lifted her head out of the water to stare at the woman. She didn't look mad or skeptical. Simply, embarrassed.

"You don't think low of me? I mean…we aren't married…" The pink haired woman looked away. But Hinata giggled. "Why would I?"

"...I'm an illegitimate child, and me and Sasuke aren't exactly married even though I live with him…so…"

"B-But you love him, don't you?" The woman asked hesitantly. Sakura smiled shyly. "I've only known him for a little while but…I feel like I've known him my entire life. And over that amount of time…I fell in love with him. Call me crazy but, I think…if he wanted, I'd stay with him forever."

Hinata smiled back at her. "I-I wish I had love like you, Sakura."

The woman looked back at her with a frown. "Eh? But you do!"

"I do?"

"Yes, you do!"

"H-How?"

"Well didn't you spend the night ON Naruto? He obviously likes you back!"'_Jeez I feel like I'm in elementary…'_

"N-Naruto-kun only took me star-watching. W-We just talked and g-got tired…h-how can you tell?"

"Che! You're heiress of the Hyuuga clan yet you're denser than he is! It's Naruto! I haven't known him that long either, but he doesn't exactly look like the type that has a fan club" Sakura explained.

Hinata blushed heavily. "S-So he likes me…?" Sakura nearly glared at the girl. "Of COURSE he likes you! I mean, the way he LOOKS at you…and besides Shikamaru he stayed and took care of you! Honestly, Hinata a guy who isn't _obligated_ to take of a pretty girl like you but does anyway OBVIOUSLY likes you. Just tell him already."

"…M-Maybe I will!"

Sakura smiled and hugged the girl. "Good. Because-"

"HELP ME!!" Naruto cried as he ran into the bath house. The women screamed and sunk deeper into the water. "NARUTO YOU PERVERT!!" Sakura yelled as she clenched her fists in front of her.

"S-Sakura-chan? Hinata-chan-"but before he could finish, a large block of wood flew through the air and whacked him. The man went stiff before tumbling into the water. That's when Sasuke appeared, and Hinata screamed.

"NARUTO! SASUKE! YOU PERVERTS!!"

"OW! OW! SAKURA-CHAN DON'T PUNCH!"

"N-Naruto-kun…is in…the bath…with me…" –thud-

"NOW LOOK WHAT YOU DID! SHE'S GOING TO DROWN! SHANNARO!"

"I-It's not my fault Sakura-chan! Sasuke threw that chunk of…wood? Teme! How the **hell **did you get a block of WOOD?"

"Hn."

"ARGGHHH BOTH OF YOU OUT!!"

Meanwhile, stationed at the doors of the bath house, a few guards poked their heads in, curious to see what the screaming, splashes and particularly loud thumping noises were chuckled. "Ahh, young love."

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Meanwhile…

"…So…we have a month to figure out a way to stop Orochimaru before…Sasuke…" Shikamaru asked in a low tone. He sat beside Kaito, who had just informed him about what Saito had said.

"Aah. As I have told you before, he plans to use Sakura against him. Shikamaru…you must stop him…somehow."

"But how Kaito-san? When you tried to interfere, he tried to kill you! Gaara wants to rebel, but we can't act unless he SHOWS us!"

"…There is a way." Kaito said softly. Shikamaru's eyes lit up. "What is it?!"

"But it will take the exact amount of time Orochimaru will need to gather what he needs. There cannot be any mistakes either. If there are, we are doomed."

"It's troublesome, but if we have a chance, even if it's only 2 of one I'll take it." Shikamaru replied. "Are you sure, Shikamaru? If you do not use your tact at all times, you will cause an even greater conflict."

"Aah. I do." He replied impatiently. Kaito gave him a small smile. "Very well. To stop the takeover of Konoha, you must obtain an object."

"An object?" The ponytail-haired man looked at him puzzled. That's it? Hell, if it was that simple, he could just order Gai to put poison in his food or beat him in his sleep!

"Aah…an item that perhaps could have an even greater effect than that of the Disease." Kaito replied quietly. This made him pale. The epidemic that had spread for a little over a hundred years that took thousands of lives world-wide. Something even more deadly…could be created?

"There are only a few people in this world that know of it. Two of them tried to unleash it on the world but fell victim to it. The other remains here in Konoha, guarding it with his life. And this man is none other than Hyuuga Hiashi himself."

The brown-haired man's eyes widened at this. The leader of the rival clan to the Uchihas…was the key to their success? "How do I contact him without causing a civil war?"

"I…cannot do much…but I shall send him a letter, written in blood. All you have to do is send it. A man with a scar over his right- not left eye will appear at Uchiha gates. If all goes well, he will deliver a thin rectangular parcel. Do not open this until the night of the full moon. The last day of the month."

"But what then? How do I give it to Orochimaru?" The man asked, puzzled by this. Did Kaito have this planned from the start? Did he know this was going to happen all along? Kaito smiled and put a worn, wrinkled hand on his shoulder. "Just trust me, Shikamaru. You will know when the time comes. Now, grab a piece of paper of that desk. Then, please undo my bandages slightly and re-open half of my wound."

"K-Kaito-san-"

"Please, Shikamaru. Saito should be coming any moment."

Reluctantly, Shikamaru complied. He watched the man sloppily write a letter in his blood and signed it with a strange seal. Weakly, he smiled and handed him the note. "There. Send this immediately. Also, adjust the bandages upward 40 degrees."

The old man watched him comply flawlessly. It made him smile. "You alone should become the castle adviser. You're more intelligent than anyone before you."

But the man shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I'll only agree to that if and when this is all over." He paused to rise. "I better get going. Saito should be appearing in a few minutes."

The men said their goodbyes before he left. And just as he said, Saito appeared and treated his wound; not expecting anything at all.

'_I hope you come to your senses soon, Gaara…if you don't…we'll be doomed…' _Kaito thought hopefully.

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A couple weeks later…

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called as he ran up to her. She turned around and smiled at him. "Naruto! How're you and Hinata?" she asked cheerfully while she stopped so he could catch up to her.

The blonde grinned. "Great! You and Sasuke-teme?" he asked. After the bath house incident, Hinata practically went comatose. And until she woke up (a few hours later), he had confessed that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to her. (Shikamaru, Sasuke, Sakura and Kiba had all watched them outside the door.)

Blushing, the girl had admitted she had feelings for him by throwing her arms around him. He made them official pair when he kissed her lightly. But it made her faint, and she was unconscious for an entire day.

Sakura looked at him, trying to hide a smile. "Naruto, I don't understand why you call him a bastard and he calls you a loser. I mean, me and Hinata don't call each other 'bitch' and 'whore' and we're just as close as you two only we don't act like we hate each other!"

The cobalt-eyed man seemed to grin even wider. "It's different between us. We're guys." Sakura stifled a laugh when he began to flex his…muscles in a "manly" way.

"Oh! I almost forgot…me and Hinata-chan are gonna go up on the roof to watch the shooting stars. Wanna come?" Naruto asked. Sakura thought about it. _'Me and Sasuke were planning to have some alone time…' _

'_SHANNARO! You mean he wants you and him in his bed, on the floor, on the walls, in his study. AGAIN! Seriously, you guys are like rabbits…I think you need some time to socialize for once. Maybe it'll tire him out. I'm surprised you aren't pregnant with all the times you-'_

'_NO LONGER LISTENING!'_"Eheheh… I'd love to. I'll tell Sasuke."

"Awesome! I'll tell Hinata-chan. We're going to Konoha- under disguise, bye!" the goofy blonde told her before pulling out a mustache from his robes and running off to find his girlfriend. Sakura smiled and shook her head. _'He'll never grow up…Hinata what'd you get yourself into?'_

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A few days after that…

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto shouted as he barged into the study.

"Dobe." Sasuke replied nonchalantly as he stamped one of the few papers left in the rather large pile of papers he had. Naruto grinned before sitting on the edge of the desk. "Almost done?"

"Aah. Why?"

"I'm bored. Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan went to help out bushy-brows 1 and 2 in the kitchen. We should go down that secret passageway and beat on the walls in Yozu's study like we did when we were kids!"

"That didn't work, remember?" Sasuke asked, looking up at him this time. Though he sound monotone, deep down, he was quite amused. The idea was definitely tempting.

Naruto's grin didn't disappear. "He's old! That was years ago! Besides…I found a different passageway yesterday. It'd be like we were in his desk!"

The Uchiha raised a brow. "Oh?" when the blonde nodded, Sasuke briefly looked over the last piece of paper and stamped it with the Uchiha insignia. Then he rose. "Let's go."

"Hah! I knew you'd be in you sadistic bastard…"

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Some hours after that…

"Orochimaru-shishou." Gaara called, appearing before the man. The man grinned. "Oh, Gaara-kun. Just the man I wanted to see. What is the news on the heiress and that annoying blonde-headed boy?

"Dating." _'And happy…'_ He thought. But of course, he dismissed this thought quickly. If Orochimaru caught but a glimpse of it, he knew his orders would be to kill him.

"Hm. I see. Well, we'll just have to break that little charade up soon, won't we?" The evil man asked. Pale eyes met monstrous ones. "You want me to eliminate him?"

This made him chuckle. "A wonderful idea. But no. That would cause a rupture in my plans. We won't act just yet. If we anger the hime she might lose control. And I don't feel like dying anytime soon."

"Hai."

"What about the Uchiha and the flower? Have you any news on them?"

Gaara hesitated. Recently, he had overheard the conversation with Naruto that would be of great importance to Orochimaru. If he had any intentions of telling him that is…

"_Oi, dobe." Sasuke had said, when the two decided to stroll around. Hinata and Sakura were nowhere to be found. "Yeah, teme?"_

"…_I need you to go to Konoha."_

"_Ehh? Why? You want that tomato thing Sakura-chan brought back? Why can't she just get it? She gets stuff for free somehow…her and Hinata-chan…"_

"_No you idiot. I need you to get…a ring."_

"_SASUKE!! FINALLY!! YOU'RE GONNA PROPO-"Naruto practically roared. Luckily, the Uchiha predicted he would react this way and clasped a hand over his mouth quickly. _

"_Sakura can't know about this. No one can." Sasuke hissed at him. "So shut up."_

_Naruto nodded and grinned. "Right, right. What kinda ring did you have in mind? When're you gonna propose to Sakura-chan?"_

"_Not sure. Just get the ring first." The man replied. After describing exactly what ring he wanted personally designed for Sakura, Naruto beamed. "Way to go, teme! I knew you'd finally grow some balls and propose!"_

"_Hn."_

"No, Orochimaru-shishou." He replied. The man looked disappointed, but not suspicious. "I see. No matter. I suspect that the Uchiha will propose to the girl soon. He'll want a special ring for the flower…something that will take time to prepare. Kin should arrive in a matter of a couple weeks. We shall act then. In the meantime, continue to watch the Uzumaki boy and the hime."

"Hai."

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The next night…

Kaito laid in his bed. Shikamaru had just delivered him the news that the man with the scar over his eye had appeared with several gift boxes. They were all addressed with hearts and perfume along with a hundreds of hearts and cards that said 'WE LOVE YOU SASUKE-SAMA' or 'YOUR BIGGEST FAN'.

But among those boxes was a thin, rectangular box. The rest was simply a diversion. This plan had been thought out many years before, in case something like this ever happened.

Yet, Saito didn't visit him today. It puzzled him. Did Orochimaru or Kabuto finally follow and kill him?

He relaxed when he heard the door open. He pretended to be asleep, but stiffened when he heard a voice different from Saito's.

"I know you're awake, Kaito-san. And I know what you've been doing." Gaara replied. Kaito pursed his lips before peering up at the man. "Are you here to finish the job, Gaara?"

He seemed shocked by this, but Kaito watched him shake his head. "No. You have… my support."

This made the man smile and sit up. He motioned for the young man to kneel. When he complied he ruffled his fiery locks. Obviously, he had been watching Naruto and Hinata along with Sasuke and Sakura and realized what love truly was.

And it was enough to destroy what loyalty he had left for Orochimaru. Because the man planned to destroy their relationships. And, though it wasn't any romantic feelings towards her, Gaara didn't want to hurt Hinata. For she had saved him from himself.

"I'm proud of you Gaara. If you had killed me many lives including yours would be lost. Now here's what you do…"

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The night before Kin's arrival…

Hinata jerked her head violently in her sleep. For a few nights, the poor girl was having nothing but nightmares. They had haunted her for weeks now, yet most of them she wasn't able to interpret.

But this time, they were clear. As if it was a premonition…

_She was watching them through the ripples of a lake. A large, ominous moon was before them, yet they were in a place unfamiliar to her. And under this strange moon two people stood. A man and a woman. _

_The raven-haired man was holding a shaking woman with…rosy hair. These two were none other than Sasuke and Sakura._

"_Please…please don't do this." Sakura said shakily. The man only looked at her longingly, yet he didn't understand why she wasn't looking at him with love-filled eyes._

"_Sakura- I want you to marry me." He told to her softly. More tears became to fall down her cheeks. "Kami…I can't Sasuke please, just forget me-"_

_He smirked at her. "I don't want to." His arms wrapped tighter than a strong pair of arms around her tiny frame. "Don't you love me, Sakura? Aren't you…happy with me?" _

"_O-Of course I am! I love you with all my heart and soul! But…"_

"_Then what's the problem?" he asked, satisfied with her answer. But she shook his head, sobbing even more. "Sasuke you don't understand I-can't!" _

_Hinata looked confused as she watched them. If she loved him, then why couldn't she accept his proposal? Then, she saw it. The pale, monstrous-eyed man in hidden in the shadows behind them. _

_Yet Sasuke was completely unaware of him. Was something going to happen to him if she accepted? Did she even know at all? Why couldn't Sasuke see him?!_

"_I-I don't deserve to be here and know the Uchiha secrets…I don't deserve your love. So please Sasuke! Don't make this harder…than it already is!"_

_He knelt before her, looking a little uncomfortable. "I'm not…great with saying- stuff like this but…I tried to live without you. But I can't. I'm in love with you. So will you?"_

"_Sasuke…" Sakura sobbed, and nodded. He rose again and held her tightly. "You won't regret this." But Hinata's eyes widened when she saw Sakura draw a gold blade from her robes when she threw her arms around his neck. "…I'm sorry…"_

"NO!!" Hinata screamed as she awoke. Sweat covered her face as the realization came to her. The Uchiha was in love with Sakura, but when he would propose to her…

He was going to lose his life.

'_I have to tell Shikamaru!'_

**TBC…**

**17 pages, like 5 times re-vising this, and it's exactly 2 in the morning…I'M DONE! But anyways. Next upload will be sometime soon. Perhaps Saturday. I'm a beta for another one of my readers! Akatsuki-shadow-sakura.**

**I'm extremely tired guys, so no new announcements…**

**Till Nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	42. Your Hate Will Seal Your Fate

Hey guys

**Hey guys! I'm glad you guys liked the "fillers". Most of the upcoming stuff was actually in there along with it being the longest chapter I've written hitting a 17-18 pages (WITHOUT a special thanks section!).**

**From now till the end it's going to be intense. Which means the entire plot is going to come out in the open. That doesn't mean I'm not done messing with you guys. There's going to be so many twists in the end, you'll wonder if anything that happened was for real :D. It'll make you mad, make you cry, confused, and maybe even scream…I hope you guys can take it :). **

**Also: Neji might be a little OOC in this (he appears in Hinata's past. Sorry Neji lovers, he doesn't actually appear in this…) I'm still trying to put him in-character, but it's difficult for me since I'm not used to writing stories about him just yet…but I plan on making a short NejixTen one-shot in the future so I'll definitely do my research on him!**

**Bell Laura- (new reader!! Rose isn't done yet, but there's an announcement at the bottom of this chapter explaining how long it's going to be. Please stick by me until the end, I promise to try to make it worth your while!)**

**xXSnow.FoxXx- (NANI?! It started?! that's crazy! it's summer!! Here we're out of school :) but I know what you mean. My brain is beyond fried this year. I don't even wanna think about thinking about school...)**

**xImCharmedx- ( it's gonna get worse. But I think I'm not gonna mess with you guys too much until the end. It's going to be a little confusing and coughcoughtheyregonnabelinkedcoughcough so I hope you can bear with me...)**

**Never-quits-Never-backs-Down- (XD all things must come to an end my lovely reader. Besides, it's a little overwhelming when you look at the summary and then how many chapters it is...I plan to make it end at 45, maybe 43 or 44...don't fret! You won't have to wait too long till I release...something in that time. I'll have an annoucement up on my profile saying what NEW stories to look for, ect ect. Yatta! Your brithday is next friday? I'll be sure to upload something then and give you a shout out!)**

**uchiha helena-hime (I officially love you XD. I look forward to reading your insanely long reviews. It's so...refreshing. Heh, I decided for this chapter I'd add in alot of comedy. Haha you're so animated I feel like i know you in person talking to you so casually . Most authors don't talk to their readers...but I'm a rebel :) so im giving you an insanely long reply!**

**As for the manga...IT'S REALLY STARTIN' TO PISS ME OFF!! URGGGH!! He prolly IS trying to steal Sasuke's body I mean he tried SO hard to get Sasuke and stuff...he's like the next-less creepy- version of Orochimaru!! I mean where would he get "tobi"? Tobi? Obito! not Madara! KYAAA!! sorry...that probably didn't make too much sense...but I know...I knew that there was a bigger plot behind Itachi-san murdering his clan. I mean who kills their entire family alive but their little brother with an explanation as simple as "i wanted to test my abilities"? IT'S BULLSHIT! heh...sorry...again getting carried way...gomen ne " but yes...pein is very cool indeed. I hope the manga gets less confusing and starts revealing their intentions.**

**ALSO! I have come to a conclusion. Sasuke DEFINITELY WITHOUT A DOUBT still cares for the leaf which includes Naruto since there are only the 8-tails and the Kyuubi left, but he idly mentioned that they haven't gotten the kyyubi which MEANS he still thinks about his best friend and his well being :D!!)**

**bloodygirl- ( ookayyy if its beautiful then it's beautiful! I understand where you stand at with guys. My closest guy friend was sort of like that before we became so close. Most of the time, he won't open up to anyone he isn't close to, but he's getting more social. The previous year he didn't talk to any girl besides me :), yet he keeps me at a distance. I'm his breath of fresh air, so he normally doesn't get into deep convos with me unless they're serious or necessary . Arigato! I hope to further entertain you till...the last rose dies. Heheheh I love saying that XD!)**

**StrawBerrybell (arigato! )**

**QuietRiver- (XD YEAH! heh. heh. I have other plans for Kin, don't worry.)**

**...**

**sakura the lover**

**ToraHimeSama**

**Lady Sayomi- (XD I'm not sure how this came out 17 pages. I even tried to cut some of the stuff out, but every bit of the chapter had to be written or it'd be really confusing for you guys. Heh I loved the writting that part with Naruto. Quite fun.)**

**Namine-sama- (O.o calm yourself! it's only fanfiction hehe.)**

**Kakashi500**

**lacusclien4**

**Monique- (XD I'm glad I made you laugh so hard! heh. I HAVE been known to be quite evil...not vile, but evil :) )**

**Kurai Raiku-Kurai Kisaki**

**Savannah- ( arigato! You'll just have to wait and see what she does...)**

**SasuSaku13636- (O.o I hope I don't...I love to torture you guys not make you cry...heh. And nope, she isn't gonna get pregnant in this story .)**

**cutebutweirdlucy18- (XD what can I say? Teenagers with hormones...)**

**Drake Hellion - (kyaaa I just realized I love your name / I'm not sure why it just sounds so good together! And heh...I plan on revealing if Sasuke REALLY dies by Sakura's hands :) )**

**Kimmithy- (new reader! Yatta! I was wondering when someone would guess that! I'm not sure why, but I idly wrote Orochimaru's scheme with the thought of Ella Enchanted at the last minute. But anyways, please stick with me until the end, I promise I'll try to make it worth your while!)**

**i love hershey**

**Chibi Warri0r- (O.O I know! It's almost scary how many damn chapters this has. I don't even know why the hell it's so long...I think it's because in the beginning I stopped in a place where it sounded good to stop-hence, so many cliffies. I assure you Rose will be NO MORE THAN 45 CHAPPIES! More info is at the end of this chapter.)**

**SasuTenkawaii**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- (XD oh I scared you? Heh, I'm gonna scare you even more...gomen XD!)**

**Special Thanks To:**

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'_I have to tell Shikamaru!' _Hinata thought frantically and quickly rose to find the pony-tailed man. But the moment she arose, the heiress felt a wave of extreme exhaustion and found herself back on the mattress.

'_I…can barely move…why I am I so tired?'_ she thought wildly. But then again, every time she had a vision like this, Hinata found herself drained of energy. That's when the words of her cousin came flooding back to her.

"_You have mysterious dreams because they aren't dreams at all. They're premonitions." Neji had explained to her once when she had a particularly scary premonition. Though it was hazy, the dream involved pain, frantic running and dirt- as if she were in a hole._

"_P-Premonitions? Y-You mean…I really my own d-death?! I'm cursed!" Hinata repeated, almost horrified. Neji shook his head. "It's an endowment bestowed upon you from the heavens. Not a curse. From what you told me you'll escape death. Unfortunately, your mother wasn't so lucky."_

"_Y-You mean…my mother saw hers too?"_

"_Aah. She foresaw it, but it was inevitable. She also saw something of great importance before she died." He said, this time more softly. "W-What did she see Neji nii-san?"_

_The lavender-eyed man was quiet for awhile before speaking. "The destruction of the Leaf." The made the girl eep. "C-Can't premonitions be prevented Neji nii-san? W-We can't all be doomed!"_

_The man shook his head. "You cannot escape your fate. That is why your mother died. My father as well." Hinata's face fell as he said this. Instead of having bad blood between her father, the leader of the Hyuuga clan and hating Hinata with a deep passion for being his daughter, Neji protected her as if she were his own blood sister and looked up to her father. And she was grateful for that._

"_N-Neji nii-san, did your father have premonitions as well?" Hinata asked shyly. It was always tough for him to talk about his father. But he never complained or showed that it upset him. But she knew better. The pained look in his eyes screamed it. _

_He gave a stiff nod. "He believed that you could change your fate with your actions…Hinata I'll warn you now. You'll experience extreme exhaustion when you wake up from a premonition, so don't overexert yourself or you'll die."_

Hinata looked up at the dark ceiling above her. _'That premonition I had…long ago…was my rendezvous with Gaara and Orochimaru…a-and Kabuto sparing my life.' _she turned to look out her window to the nearly full moon above her.

'_He wanted me out of the way…and he knew my mother…maybe the premonition she saw about the destruction of the Leaf had to do with Orochimaru? I'll have to tell Shikamaru about all the thing…first thing…in the morning…' _Hinata thought before drifting off into an uncomfortable sleep.

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Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke talked casually as they made their way up the long steps up to castle while being greeted by the guards.

The blonde gave a fox-like grin. "Sasuke-teme that's a pretty damn expensive ring. It's a good thing I was there to…'negotiate'!" his friend only smirked. Sure, it was a ridiculously expensive ring. But he was like his father; a complete victim to the woman he loved. No price matter when it came to her.

"_Father, how did you and Kaa-san get married?" Sasuke had asked his father curiously one day. This made the man chuckle. "I never told you? It's actually a funny story."_

_The man sat next to his raven-haired son, grinning. "Did I ever tell you that your mother hated me with a deep passion when we first met?" Sasuke gaped at him. His mother __**hated **__him?_

"_I thought he was greedy, self-centered, and the most arrogant man in all of Konoha." Explained the raven-haired woman, grinning at them. She was carrying a rather large laundry basket, yet didn't look as if she were having any trouble at all. _

_She set it down with ease. "To put a long story short, he proved me wrong. He was actually the sweetest man I've ever met. But, I was young at the time and I didn't want to get married- unlike your father who completely 'fell victim' to love. He wanted to get married after the first few months I was with him! Of course, since he was a stubborn Uchiha, he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer."_

_The man chuckled again, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. "How many dozen roses did I send you Mikoto? 50?" the woman stared at him in disbelief, yet the corners of her mouth twitched; as if she were trying not to smile at him._

"_At LEAST 130." She replied with a frown. "My mother was appalled. But he didn't stop there. He had at least of Konoha's population deliver me chocolate, cards saying 'I love you',' I can't live without you', 'you're the key to my heart', ect. Then, he appeared in some foreign frilly get-up and proposed to me again. It was completely and utterly ridiculous. But…" _

_Fugaku kept grinning smugly. "But?"_

_She sighed. "His completely and utterly ridiculous display of affection won me over in the end. It showed me that he would go to the limit of spending a tremendous fortune on me along with completely deflating his male pride for my love." This time a smile appeared on her face as she kissed him on the forehead. _

"_W-Wow…do you think I'll find love like that one day?" Sasuke asked, completely taken aback by their story. The two smiled at their son. "Of course. Only I don't think Konoha will be so forgiving if you appear at your love's door in frilly clothes…"_

"…cost me a couch I mean- HEY! SASUKE! I'M TALKING TO YOU!!" Shouted the loud blonde, bringing him out of his memories. He pouted childishly. "You didn't hear a word I said did you teme?"

"It's called 'tuning you out', dobe." Sasuke replied simply as they continued inside. Naruto crossed his arms and began to grumble to himself, but his anger was forgotten when Sasuke added (barely audible). "But I don't think I'd take anyone else to Konoha with me for this."

Though he said this quietly, Naruto heard every word of it and gave him a one-armed brotherly, chokehold-like hug. "And even though you're a cold, keep-to-myself, arrogant bastard I don't think I'd go with anyone else and use my AMAZING negotiation skills to buy them a ring. You're like a brother to me, Sasuke."

The two were quiet for awhile before he asked, "You're taking Sakura-chan _there _aren't you?"

"Aah. Why?"

"Just wanted to be sure 'bout something." Naruto grinned. "I mean I'm your best friend and _I _haven't even been _there _'cause your dad flipped out on you…So if you're taking Sakura-chan _there _you really love her… She's like my sister now, and as Big Brother Naruto, I'll kill you if you hurt her."

"Hn. You won't need to."

"Good! We shoulda found Sakura-chan sooner I mean you're really catching on to this 'being nice' thing teme. …you deserve an award…"

"Shut it or Konoha's going to have one less Naruto." Sasuke replied, but a small smirk was plastered on his face.

While the two made it up the stairs Naruto rambled on about a bet he made with Kiba. The man didn't believe he could eat more ramen than he could. But if he did, he would buy him Ichiraku ramen. Naruto won hands-down and Kiba mysteriously developed a deep hate for it.

"Oi dobe, stop talking. I'm going to bed." Sasuke replied, fingering the tiny black box in his pocket. Though he had no intentions of going to bed without seeing Sakura- who he hadn't seen all day, he was rather tired for once.

"Fine, fine. I was gonna say goodnight to Hinata-chan anyway. Don't keep everyone up all night if you and Sakura-chan get it on-again. Night teme!" Naruto grinned and didn't wait for the raven-haired Uchiha's reply. Or his surprised expression. The blonde knew where he was going after all.

'_Maybe dating Hinata-chan made him smarter…' _Sasuke thought before smirking, and turned to walk down the halls to a certain pink-haired woman's room.

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Naruto strolled down the halls cheerfully to Hinata's room. A smile played across his lips. Being with Hinata always made him happy. They didn't have to be making-out or doing _other _things. Just being in her presence that made him…content.

Was this how Sasuke felt when he was with Sakura?

But as he walked down the halls, he heard a man creepily hissing at someone. It was none other than Orochimaru. But who was he talking to?

"I sense treason in his eyes, Gaara-kun." Hissed the man. He didn't sound happy at all. In fact, he sounded down-right pissed. "I don't understand, Orochimaru-shishou." He replied monotonously.

Naruto closed his eyes, snickering mentally. _'Gaara? How can he STAND talking to this guy?! When you do you're pretty much holding up a sign saying MOLEST ME NOW: I LIKE PALE GUYS. Sheesh!'_

"Hmm…no matter. He's beginning to become an eyesore to me. Perhaps, we'll need to 'take care of him' soon?" Orochimaru asked creepily. Enough to make Naruto shiver. _'Get rid of? HELL YE- wait no…NO! THAT'S BAD! What the fu-"_

"But you promised him power, Orochimaru-shishou." The redheaded man protested, yet stayed completely emotionless. _'Does he HAVE any emotions?!' _the blonde thought wildly.

He heard the pale man chuckle. "I never **promised **him anything, Gaara-kun."

"You mean-"

"Of course. He's been nothing but a pawn in my little game, just like Kinwho should be arriving soon. Saito will need to be disposed of shortly after. I'll leave you to do what you will with him…my precious weapon."

"Orochimaru-shishou, am I a pawn as well?" the pale-blue eyed man asked, never faltering. He knew how Orochimaru worked. If he showed any sign of hesitation, he could use it against him. No matter how small it was.

The pale man touched his shoulder. "Of course not, Gaara-kun. You hold…a special place in my heart. You are one of the keys to my plans. Without you and your undying loyalty none of this would be possible."

This time the red-haired man bowed his head. "Forgive me for doubting, Orochimaru-shishou."

When the two began to walk away, Naruto let out a loud sigh. He was practically holding his breath. _'That oro-teme seems to be getting creepier and creepier-if that was possible…but what did he mean by plans…? I wish Kaito-jii (__**a/n: ojii-san or jii-san is short for Grandpa, so he's pretty much Grandpa or Old Man Kaito.**__) were here.'_

But then it hit him. Speaking of Kaito, no one had heard from him since he left. Yet now that he thought about it, no one seemed to _see _him leave either. And it wasn't like him to leave without saying goodbye…but he shook the thought from his head.

'_He probably said bye to Sasuke-teme. But he hasn't shown up to visit…maybe Shikamaru knows-'_but he stopped thinking when he saw the door to Orochimaru's office was still open.

Curious, Naruto found himself inside. "Jeez…his office is just as creepy as he is…" he mumbled aloud as he looked around. It was mysteriously dark and eerie. A tiny skull head sat on the corner of his desk along with books with strange writing.

And on the walls were pictures of snakes and parts of incantations. _'This guy's really into snakes…but then again his name's Orochimaru…should be Oro-creepy…_' Even the lamp, bringing in a tiny bit of light had a snake engraved in it.

But what caught Naruto's eye wasn't the snake engraved lamp, the posters or even the creepy skull on his desk. It was the two files and the picture of a mysteriously familiar emerald-eyed man.

He moved over to the front of the desk and picked up the photo. _'He looks like Sakura-chan!' _he thought wildly, grinning at the thought of the pretty pink-haired woman. But the grin was quickly wiped off his face when his cobalt blue eyes caught a few words having to do with Hinata. And before he knew it, he was reading the small paragraph on her.

'**Hyuuga Hinata, heiress of the great rival clan to the Uchihas, the Hyuugas. Their lavender eyes confirm what clan they are from. For years the Hyuugas are known for their mysterious eye-techniques, like the Uchihas. It has been said that they could read a person just by looking into their eyes; perhaps read their very soul. But what has stumped prophets for centuries was their uncanny ability to change the color of their eyes and kill or paralyze their opponent with a jab of a finger. **

Naruto thought about this and immediately remembered when Sakura had been attacked the heiress. Her eyes had gone from the warm lavender they normally were to cold, piercing white eyes. They seemed so strained, the veins from the sides of her eyes were obviously seen and she had simply jabbed Sakura with two fingers, causing the woman to collapse instantly.

He read the last part with wide eyes. **Another example of their extraordinary abilities was their ability to see into the future. **

'_That explains why Hinata has such weird dreams! Like the time she told me that I was gonna be sick from something chunky…wish she woulda seen that it was spoiled milk…'_

But another file seemed to catch his large blue eyes as well. This time it was about Orochimaru and Gaara. _'Hey…this sounds like the file Gaara and Sakura-chan found…only it disappeared before she could read it…'_

**Gaara- No real observations have been done on this man, but it is said he originated from Sunagakure. His pale blue eyes hold no emotions, and it is said he mysteriously disappeared from Suna years ago and has been rarely reported in the company of a rather pale, dark-haired man he calls 'shishou'. He is said to have killed hundreds with no mercy.**

**Orochimaru- his abilities are said to be inhuman. Some have called him a 'dark genius'. Others have called him insane for the hundreds of experiments done on humans and animals. He is also said to be a man gifted with the ability of manipulation. He is also linked to the research that created the Disease and has supposedly been seen over a two-hundred year time period.**

Naruto nearly felt his blood run cold. _'E-Experiments on humans and animals? R-Research that created the Disease?! DARK GENIUS?! THIS GUY IS FREAKEN NUTS!! __**AND **__HE'S OLD AS HELL!! I have to tell Shikamaru about this…' _and with this thought the blonde hurried out of his office and down the hall.

Naruto banged on the door to Shikamaru's room noisily. "OI!! PINEAPPLE HEAD WAKE UP! IT'S IMPORTANT! I FOUND SOMETHING OUT ABOUT-"But Saito mysteriously appeared behind him. "Naruto, Shikamaru is sleeping right now. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate you bothering him." He said in a creepy tone.

"But-"the cobalt-eyed man began to protest, until Saito interjected. "Unless of course…it were of great importance? That it involved Sasuke-sama?"

Naruto grinned. "Err…yeah! It does! And I need his lazy-ass to wake up now so I can err…talk to him about this."

Saito smirked at him. "Incompetent boy. If it involves Sasuke-sama shouldn't you go to his adviser Orochimaru-sama? Though Shikamaru is a rather intelligent boy if this involves your lord you will answer to his royal adviser."

The blonde frowned. _'Damn it…maybe I should just let this guy die…'_"On second thought –yawn- I'm kinda tired. I was just gonna tell him that Sasuke was pissed about running outta tomatoes. Night!" But as he walked away he murmured something about an old bastard and Sakura needing to castrate him.

Saito frowned. _'It appears Naruto will need to be taking care of…and soon.'_

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Orochimaru sat outside, looking up at moon, nearly three-quarters full. Kabuto and Gaara sat on either sides of him. "Where is Saito?" He asked eerily. Gaara shrugged and Kabuto shook his head. "I don't know, Orochimaru-sama."

"No matter. It looks like our visitor is finally here." Orochimaru replied. And indeed there was. A young woman, perhaps no older than 20 appeared. Her long dark hair fluttered in the wind. And in her hands held a blue and white urn.

She bowed before the men. "Orochimaru-sama,"

"My lovely Kin. You have returned to me a day early. I see you have brought back what I asked." The pale man grinned. Kabuto grinned as well. _'The poor girl doesn't know what's coming to her…' _

"Anything for you, Orochimaru-sama." She replied humbly, placing the urn on the ground and scooting it over to him. She bowed again and watched him rise.

The man put a hand on her shoulder. "Such a loyal subordinate you are, Kin. You have done everything I've asked and then some without complaining."

"Of cou-"but Kin was unable to finish her sentence when a blade suddenly came down and struck her. Blood spattered everywhere, and she choked. As the woman fell to the ground in a pool of blood, she demanded, "O-Orochimaru…why….have you betrayed me?!"

The man chuckled. "Such a foolish girl you are. Though you were a loyal subject, I have no use for you anymore. Therefore, I must rid myself of you."

"B-But…you promised me…" she replied as she coughed blood. He smirked. "Promised? Promised! Promises mean nothing if the person you've made a promise to becomes incompetent. From the start I had no intentions of resurrecting your love Zaku! Bringing the dead back is extremely risky. And, you just aren't worth the trouble."

"You…bastard…" She managed before choking more blood. Orochimaru cackled. "What is a chess game without sacrificing a few pawns? No worries. You'll be reunited with your lover, whom I sent to die anyway."

"W-What...?!"

Kabuto rose, and kneeled before her to grab the urn. "You lived a lie, I'm afraid. Haven't you heard that you should never allow yourself to be tempted by a snake? "

"Curse you…Kabu…to…you knew…all along…" She cursed before she began to lose consciousness. Orochimaru turned to depart. "Kabuto. I'm in need of your assistance. Gaara, please dispose of the body as you usually do."

"Hai." The redheaded man replied as he rose and stood in front of her. He began to make the necessary hand signs. "Sabaku-"but his voice trailed off when he saw her hand twitch.

"You're still alive?" Gaara asked her, dismissing the sand rising from the ground. The sword that Orochimaru had cut her with was a sword wasn't an ordinary one. The woman should've been dead by now.

The man then remembered his conversation with Kaito earlier in the week. _"You have…my support."_

_The old man smiled and told him to grab a few of the green spotted petals bathing in the moonlight. "From what you told me, you should be expecting the woman bringing what Orochimaru needs to carry out his plans a day before. When he gets what he wants, he'll most likely kill her with the blade of Kusanagi." _

He pulled out the green leaves from his robes and stared at them. _"Use these leaves to heal her because no woman with so much hope should be killed by such an evil man."_

"Live on, onna (**a/n: means woman**)."

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"Sakura," Sasuke called to her softly. The woman was lying on her bed, sleeping peacefully. She had been against sleeping in his bed every night for Yozu would throw a fit and the women of Konoha would cause an uproar. But that didn't stop him from sneaking into her room at times.

Emerald eyes fluttered open and a tired smile curled at her rosy lips. The woman looked up at the obsidian-eyed man who sitting on the bed next to her. He touched her cheek. Though he didn't smile, his face was tender. This face he seemed to show only Sakura.

"Where were you today?" She asked sleepily, caressing the hand on her cheek. "Konoha. I had business to do there." Sasuke told her softly. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Are you sure you just didn't want that salmon in tomato sauce again?" Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at this as he shook his head.

Sakura rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck and closing her eyes. "I missed you…" he nearly smiled at this while his arm wrapped around her waist. "Aah. Me too."

The two stayed like this for awhile before Sasuke spoke. "Sakura, tomorrow night…I wanna show you something." The emerald-eyed woman looked at him curiously. "Another secret place you and Naruto used to go?"

He shook his head. "No. Naruto's never been there." Sasuke replied quietly. Her eyes seemed to light up with curiosity. "Oh? And what is this place?"

Sasuke rose. "Not telling. Night."

"Wait, you aren't sleeping here?" Sakura asked, surprised by this. He smirked. "You're tired, aren't you?"

"Well yeah but-"

"You know what's going to happen if I sleep here, Sakura."

"…" The pink-haired woman turned away and blushed, knowing from experience that the Uchiha was right. He kissed her forehead gently. "Get some sleep."

He turned to exit the room, but just as he did the pink-haired woman grabbed his arm "Sasuke-"but her voice trailed off. Sighing, he turned to look at her. Sakura truly was a beautiful woman.

She laid on her side, pink hair splayed across her face and shoulders, onto lips half parted as if she were about to say something but couldn't. Part of her kimono revealed a smooth, creamy leg and her eyes half-open but sparkling with something he couldn't comprehend. And it was nearly enough to tempt him to tear her clothing off.

But he kept control of himself. Sasuke looked at her with a soft expression and sat back down. "Go to sleep… Annoying woman." Sakura giggled at this and closed her eyes, resting her head on his lap. "Stubborn Uchiha."

Absently, he ran his fingers through her hair until he was sure she was asleep. But as he was about to leave, she murmured his name again. The raven-haired man was about to groan impatiently. That is, until she murmured 3 words that left him speechless.

"I love you…"

A smile crept on his face when he realized she was talking in her sleep. _'Do I even reach you in your dreams, Sakura?' _he thought before leaving the room quietly.

But as he did, he didn't realize the two men appear from the shadows. _'Finally…now, let the __**real **__fun begin.' _

**(I was SO tempted to end it right there. Totally serious. But, I realized that I've made my chapters pretty lengthy, and ending it at only 9 pages would be ridiculous this far into the story. I AM ending it soon. Maybe 5 chapters max.)**

Kabuto moved over to the sleeping woman and caressed her cheek. _'She truly is a beautiful woman…'_"Please…wake up."

She stirred in her sleep. "Mmh…Sasuke?" she asked sleepily, without opening her eyes. But the hand on her cheek didn't feel like Sasuke's at all. This hand was cold and without feeling. That's when she realized that…

This wasn't Sasuke.

Emerald eyes shot open to stare at murderous brown ones behind glasses. But when she opened her mouth to scream, his hand came up and covered her mouth. "Screaming would prove most troublesome for you, Sakura-san. "If you scream, I'll break your jaw. If you try to run I'll break your legs. I can kill you painfully without spilling a drop of your blood for I am a medic like you. Understood?" Kabuto spoke in a dangerous tone.

Sakura's eyes widened. This man was none other than Yakushi Kabuto. Orochimaru chuckled at her expression. He was leaning against the wall closest to the window; the glow of the moonlight denying that he was human.

The woman nodded, yet her eyes were full of fear, disgust and confusion. Especially when he scanned over her body. Orochimaru walked over to them as Kabuto rose. He grinned evilly. "You've grown so much, my little Sakura. You've even captured the heart of Uchiha Sasuke-kun."

"What…what do you want from me?" Sakura asked when she found her voice. Though she tried to act strong, she was frightened by the evil stare he was giving her. His grin widened. "Why, I have a proposition for you, my pretty little flower."

"A- proposition? I'm not interested in anything you're offering!" She protested. But this didn't stop him from chuckling and licking his lips. "Such fiery green eyes. You remind me of your father."

Her breathing hitched at the mention of him. And instantly he caught it. "That's right. You see, my sweet, I know all about you. How you struggled, suffered, _cried_. Even though your mother's closest friends took care of you, you always felt alone…ne?"

Sakura's eyes lowered at this. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he was right. And a wave of depression overcame her.

"And for what? Because your father Hideaki decided he had other important things to take care of? He didn't want you two anymore. You were seen as an abomination in his eyes, and your mother was nothing but a whore who bore him a daughter out of marriage. Just as the people of Konoha thought of you two-"

"T-That's not true…It can't be…" Sakura murmured, yet the depression was slowly eating at her will to fight his words. What if he was right? He knew her father if he knew of her struggles. All she could do was listen to him…

"And instead of being scorned by the village like you and your mother, he escaped-"

"You're lying…"

"He completely abandoned you and you dying mother so you strove to find him. And you studied long and hard to become a doctor- to find him through the great Tsunade-sama…ne? My fallen blossom?"

"Please…yamete…(**a/n: means stop**) I don't want to hear this!" The pinkette pleaded as tears fell from her eyes. She didn't want to hear anymore. All the memories she tried to forget came flooding back and into the open. And it was too unbearable.

"He never told you his intentions did he? Never told you what he was up to or why he walked out on you for so long and so much? But I knew. And I know where he is right now."

"Y-You know where my father is…?" Sakura asked, almost disbelieving. No one seemed to know where Haruno Hideaki disappeared to. Except for one man. This…creepy pale man who looked at Sasuke way too much?

"Yes, my innocent little blossom. In fact…" He paused to motion Kabuto to show her the urn. "These are your father's ashes. But I can bring him back to you by resurrection."

Sakura gasped at this. "R-Resurrection?" So he was dead after all...

"I know you want answers only he can answer such as the answer to why he left you in the first place, or why he couldn't tell you or and your mother? Unless, deep down you want to kill him for leaving you. For causing you pain. Because you **hate **this man that was supposedly your father."

Orochimaru paused to touch her cheek and wipe a tear away. She was shaking now. "You have every right to hate this man. And every right to want to kill him for making you and your mother suffer. I'll bring him back to me, if you declare your loyalty to me and do as I say."

Sakura's eyes lowered, thinking about this. Sure, deep down she wanted the answers as to why her father had left without telling her and leaving them for dead. Even hurt him the way he hurt her. But these thoughts of revenge were pushed so far back into her mind that she had forgotten all about him.

And that was because of Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, and everyone in her life now. But was finding the source of all her pain and opening her old wounds again really worth forgetting about the people that loved her?

A small, sad smile curled at her lips. "Your offer would be tempting…if I actually cared about my father anymore." She declared, causing the pale man to frown. "You're probably right about everything. But those memories are in the past. My father obviously left Konoha for a reason. A reason in which he couldn't tell me. I still hate him for abandoning me. But recently…I decided that…I'm giving up my search for him."

"You're giving up your life goal…your dream and for what?!" Orochimaru demanded angrily. Kabuto frowned at this. _'Love is something he could never understand which is why he didn't think she would deny him.'_

Sakura smiled at his outrage. "I didn't plan on it…I even tried to prevent it but…I'm giving up my search for my father because I… I fell in love with Uchiha Sasuke. And he's more important than my past. Because my future."

He cackled at this. "Love? Love! You foolish girl, I wouldn't have had to do this if you had just cooperated! I'm no longer asking you, I'm forcing you!" Orochimaru responded as his monstrous golden eyes seemed to expand as a symbol appeared in them.

The pinkette suddenly found herself incapable of moving or speaking. Just what was he doing to her?!

"The Uchiha boy plans to take you to a place underground. A legendary place in the castle called the Crimson Lake. In this place hold the secrets of the Uchiha clan. And do you know why he shall show you this my foolish little blossom? Because he plans to propose to you!"

Sakura inwardly gasped as her eyes widened as he covered a hand over her face. _'Sasuke…plans to…propose to me?' _

The man grabbed her face. Something inside his eyes seemed to spin, and the pinkette found herself feeling incredibly dizzy.

"**This is a curse I shall cast on you. You will intentionally allow yourself to be led down to the Crimson Lake; allowing me access as well. You will then accept his proposal, then betray him. You alone hold the rope steadying the guillotine above his head. And you alone will be the one to kill him with a blade filled with the incurable poison…the great disease in which **_**I**_** created. You will be unable to tell a soul, nor stop this from happening. My blossom, your hate shall be you and your lover's end!"**

'_The disease…this man…created?! But how is that possible?! It's been around for over a hundred years…he couldn't be over a hundred years old…could he?!' _Sakura thought wildly. But when he released her Sakura's eyes clouded over, dilated, and she fell unconscious.

"You used _that _curse on her didn't you? The ultimate manipulation curse of your own creation. You truly are an evil man, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto told him softly as he stared at the girl.

Orochimaru simply smirked. "No matter. Soon the Uchiha kingdom will be mine. For as long as hate lingers in the blossom's heart I alone will control her. Let the domino effect begin."

**TBC…**

**Finally, Orochimaru's true plans begin to surface! What technique did he use on Sakura and how will it seal their fate?! Stay tuned!**

**Ahh, I love cliffies. Also, as sad as I am to say it, ****I AM planning to end Rose in 3-5 chapters****(includes alt ending). I have this amazingly heartbreaking idea for a sad ending (you'll murder me XD). But I'm going to make an alt ending that's tons happier :). **

**But anyways… next upload is…ehh. You know what I'm not sure. Just look out for it Tues-Thurs!**

**Till Nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	43. A Twist Of Fate

**Hey guys! I'm back once again.! The next chapter WILL be the end, but to get there this has to be a lengthy chapter (yay!). **

**I'm not giving any hints (my evil side), but Chapter 44 might be the saddest chapter I've ever written, and it will pain some of you deeply. **

**LUCKILY (my good side)! I hate leaving you guys (who love happy endings) hanging I'm going to create ANOTHER chapter, the (happy) alternate ending along with the Final Rose Extra! (It'll include a glimpse of what to look for in the near future.)**

**Then everyone reading will be happy, including me, because I'll have Rose leveled out to 45 chapters. Why? Because I love the number 45. :)**

**OH! There's a story I'd like you guys to read! She's one of my faithful readers and it's her VERY FIRST fic. I've been her beta (or tried to…I'm still getting used to this job ") for this so far, Kastumi-chan (akatsuki-shadow-sakura)'s very own Curse Marked Love :D! So be nice to her if you read it. I mean it. –armed with chair-**

**Special Thanks To (My Amazing Readers and My Replies To Them!):**

**BookwormAddicted- (arigato !! ****new reader! Please stick by me until the end! I promise to coughcoughcompletelyandutterlylaywithyourmindcoughcough try and make it worth your while!)**

**bloodygirl- ( arigato! heh, why do you hate Karin so much XD she hasn't even shown up in this story coughcoughyetcoughcough. Hah dont break your computer onee-san :D! Keep reading the announcements on here along with the Final Rose Extra that's going to be up next chapter. It'll tell all about what to look for in the near future.)**

**Bell Laura- (hello again laura-chan :D! Techincally the ending-ending will be happy. But those who enjoy the endings that leave longing or sadness, chapter 44 is their end.)**

**Chibi Warri0r- (XD if you want the sad ending to be the true ending, it shall. But those who refuse to settle for one will have to wait! Also, of course I'll have more fics out for you chibi-chan alot more than you think...heh.)**

**lil sweetpea27- (arigato !)**

**Namine-sama- (O.o nami-chan! calm down! I plan to release BOTH happy and sad endings on friday!)**

**uchiha helena-hime- (hime-chan :D! ahh i truly adore you and your ridiculous long comments that make me happy . I suddenly thought of the flashback when I remembered the quote "history repeats itself". So, techinically, history is repeating itself for Sasuke and Sakura!**

**XD have you ever SEEN the other comments some of my readers have left me? I've been called senile, crazy, evil, the worst person on earth ect, ect. Frankly you can call me watever you want XD. In a sense, I sort of like Kabuto because, despite his evil craziness he's spared and healed Naruto and Sakura many times! So he definitely has some good LEFT in him. Also, yes yes I enjoyed seeing the Shippuden movie a lot. "it rekindled the love I have for Naruto" :). I'm seriously looking forward to seeing the Shippuden Movie 2 though. It looks intense, and Sasuke-kun is in it and he fights along side Naruto! Yatta!!**

**Manga response: ARGHH I know! Why can't he just get rid of Danzou and just return or something! Seriously! I never hated Sasuke-kun...even though he left Sakura...but he cares for her at least I mean he said -in the english version: thank you for everything before he WHACKED her and left her on a park bench… ahh I can't even begin to grasp what could happen! But now they're just one big Akatsuki...mattaku-means jeez- someone needs to kick him or something...GO BACK TO KONOHA! **

**But this is getting quite long my beloved reader . ja ne!)**

**HoshikoK- (XD?? You're so random hoshi-chan. That's ok. I enjoyed your comments with or without the spaces.)**

**QuietRiver- (O.o Kaito. Not Kabuto. Btw...that does AU mean? author united? another umbrella? um...)**

**ToraHimeSama- (XD!! tora-chan you make me giggle.)**

**HinataMusaCorneliaRenee- (Arigato ! I had to re-vise what Neji said like 3489438402 times...but just in case I put up a warning just in case he was :). But I remember a couple people who wanted Neji to appear in the story, but he just doesn't fit into the plot this time so unfortunately he wasn't in it...)**

**kt.1z.awesome- (I try :). As Kaito said, emotions can easily be manipulated. But if love is true, it won't ever waver. Love endures forever! I love my cheesy statements. Heh. But yes, I'm not completely evil. I have an evil SIDE but it doesn't show all the time and in this occasion it won't :D!)**

**lito-pink-chihuahua- (O.o pinku-chan! calm down! You shall see if I'm merciful or not grin)**

**passion244- (I did actually :D! I used to love that movie as a kid)**

**sakura the lover**

**xxCiCiexx- (new reader! XD arigato! I will! Please stick by me until the end! I promise to coughcoughcompletelyandutterlyplaywithyourmindcoughcough to try and make it worth your while!)**

**akatsuki-shadow-sakura- (XD arigato! I've been watching a lot of bleach lately- to take my mind of how pissed off the Naruto manga is making me with Sasuke's decisions...- and I realized that even in the midst of panic and fighting Kishimoto-san manages to put in a little comedy. I completely love it! Which is why I was inspired to add some comedy in every now and then myself if you didn't notice :). Nande mo nai! It's nothing really, I enjoy letting my readers know that I DO read their material as well as talk to them. I enjoy being different heh )**

**Babykat570- (new reader! Please stick by me until the end! I promise to coughcoughcompletelyandutterlylaywithyourmindcoughcough try and make it worth your while!)**

**BlackStoneCherry- (new reader! Please stick by me until the end! I promise to coughcoughcompletelyandutterlylaywithyourmindcoughcough try and make it worth your while!)**

**Kakashi500- (my cherished reader who's never given me a long comment in the 2 years you have read my stories domo! XD)**

**japangrl03- (Kya! I just realized you and my other reader lil sweetpea27 have similar names! I had to go back and check to make sure you weren't the same person...heh. Don't worry! Things will work out coughcoughnotinthesadendingbutthehappyonecoughcough)**

**SasuSaku13636- (XD!! heheh!! You made me laugh at the start of the review! Eh, you're gonna be one of those readers who might break down the wood of their chairs and sharpen it to stab me with for giving you a sad ending first .!! Ahh but you caught that part! At least HALF my readers didn't catch that at all! very nice :) )**

**Drake Hellion- (Ahh irony, I HATE IT! XD. Nah. Just joking. Don't entirely think that that's what I'm going to do. Remember I'm entirely evil and I love to screw with your minds to get you to think one thing, but then end up having something else planned! :D!)**

**mintxrain- (mint-chan when I see your name I think Tokyo Mew Mew...Yet every time I see your name pop up I think of an extremely chibi sailor moon character only with mint colored hair! " As for the death of Orochimaru, unfortunately, I can't give him a funny death in this because it's so serious. From now until the end- at least in the sad ending- it's going to be serious. Gomen!)**

**Kurai Raiku-Kurai Kisaki**

**xxSassy Actressxx- (new reader!! NOOOOO!! I completely and utterly hate how romeo and juliet ends. They kill each other out of lack of communication. I mean if they simply said a couple things to each other they could've just lived together happily ever after! It pissed me off!! which means I will never have an ending like that. It's completely overdramatic. heh. Arigato! I'll be sure to prove you wrong :) )**

**...- (I almost skipped replying to this because it's dots instead of a name XD! Just keep reading and find out!)**

**Quadira Zakia Yoko- (New reader! Arigato arigato arigato yoko-san! You guys are so nice to me... am I really that good of a writer? Unfortunately, the evil side of me is showing, and I refuse to tell you if you're right XD. You'll just have to read coughcoughthischaptercoughand find out!)**

**i love hershey- (Why? XD it's spelled E-V-I-L hershey-chan. heh. It's taken me forever to write this chapter because I DO plan to make this story unforgettable. Yarrgghh! Curse my desire to perfect this for you guys! )**

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"Soon the Uchiha kingdom will be mine. For as long as hate lingers in the blossom's heart I alone will control her. Let the domino effect begin." Orochimaru said with a smirk.

-

-

-

"SHIKAMARU!!" Naruto roared as he barged into the infirmary. He found Kiba with Akamaru at his feet sitting beside Shino. Shikamaru sat across from them with his hands clenched in front of him.

The three turned to look at him. "Naruto, we're busy right now-"

"Hinata-chan told me everything." The blonde interjected, pausing to grab hold of the man's collar; remembering the events this morning.

"_N-Naruto-kun, please be careful!" Hinata told him after she finished telling him what she had saw including what happened the night where she was nearly raped. (__**a/n: I decided to cut out most of this part out since I looked back and saw just how long this chapter would be if I didn't. **__)_

_Naruto forced a grin and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm always careful Hinata-chan. Stay here until I get back."_

_Hinata smiled, but could tell right-off-the-bat that it was forced. "I-I will."_

"Why…why did you tell her not to tell me anything?! How could you make her keep that a secret, Shikamaru-teme!"

"You're so troublesome Naruto. I did it so you wouldn't freak out like this." Shikamaru replied, looking at him irritably. The blonde tightened his grip on him. "But why haven't we killed this guy yet?! He tried to kill Hinata-cha-"

"What do you think we're trying to do, Naruto?!" The ponytail-haired man demanded, his voice reaching a dangerous tone. Which was enough to make him calm down, but only sightly.

"I've known that Orochimaru was behind Hinata's attack long well before she got her voice back. I also knew that Gaara had been linked to them as well- which was why he reacted so strangely to the file him and Sakura found over a month ago."

"But that's just it! He had a file on Hinata-chan too! He's planning to do something to her!"

"What did you say?!" Kiba demanded, butting into their conversation almost immediately.

"After me and Sasuke-teme got back from Konoha yesterday I snooped around his office because the door was open- he had a file about Gaara associating with him! You and Sakura-chan never found that file because HE took it!"

Shikamaru folded his hands in front of him again, thinking long and hard about this. _'I knew he was the one behind it…his spy must've been watching them after all. But that doesn't explain why he had a file on Hinata…'_

"Did you find anything else, Naruto? Tell me every little detail- Hinata could be in grave danger."

The blonde thought about this. "Well…he had a bunch of weird posters all over the wall in a different language and a snake lamp..."

"Anything else? Think harder!"

"T-There was a picture of a man that looked like Sakura-chan on his desk too…"

"What! Did he have the same eyes as her?" Shikamaru demanded. This time, he was the one clutching Naruto's collar.

The cobalt-eyed blonde nodded looking entirely serious now. "Aah…Shikamaru…what the hell is going on? Hinata-chan said that she had a premonition that Sakura-chan's gonna try and kill Sasuke when he proposes to her tonight…only she thinks Oro-teme is controlling her-"

'_Shit...so he plans to use __**that **__type of manipulation…this man really is the lowest of the low.' _Shikamaru thought before turning back to the blonde. "Where's Hinata now?"

"In her room- "

"You mean you left her alone?!" He shouted. He let go of Naruto with a rough shove and turned to Shino, slamming his hands onto the table in the process. "Shino, come with me to see Kaito-san. Kiba, take Akamaru and Naruto upstairs as fast as you can and up to Hinata's room."

"What- Kaito-jii is here? What the hell is going on?!" Naruto demanded, grabbing hold of his blonde locks in frustration. Kiba grabbed his ear. "I'll tell you about it on the way, now let's go-"

"Kiba!" Shikamaru called, when they turned to leave. The look on his face looked almost frightening. "Be careful."

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"There's something bothering you." Sasuke declared as they walked down the pathway to the golden field hand-in-hand. The raven-haired man had decided to take her on a picnic for the day, yet she hadn't met his eyes once.

Finally, emerald eyes met obsidian ones. "W-What makes you think so?" Sakura asked, trying to sound casual but failed miserably at it. She never was good at lying…especially to Sasuke.

Sasuke only looked at her skeptically and raised an eyebrow as if saying 'do-I-really-need-to-say-it-you're-being-ridiculous'. Sakura looked down at her feet, clenching the basket so that her knuckles turned white.

"_**You alone will be the one to kill him with a blade filled with the incurable poison…the great disease in which I created. You will be unable to tell a soul, nor stop this from happening.**__"_

"Sakura, tell me." The raven-haired man told her (more like commanded). She jumped slightly. How did he get I front of her so fast?

"It's nothing-"

"Don't lie to me." He replied roughly_. 'Damn stubborn Uchiha who can't take no for an answer! We'd tell you if we could but stupid Oro-bastard put a damn curse on us! Damn it all!!' _Inner Sakura yelled, punching a brick wall that had suddenly appeared.

"I just feel a little sick, that's all." Sakura told him, smiling nervously. Sasuke frowned and touched her forehead with the back of his hand.

"You wanna go back?" he asked, a little disappointed. He had planned to have the perfect day; take her on a picnic, then go shopping, then return to the castle by sundown. Which was exactly the time needed to open the passageway down to the place where he would propose to her…

So why was she lying to him?

But Sakura brought him back, out of his thoughts when she held his wrist with both hands. "No! I'm fine, really. I just haven't been eating right. Shikamaru scolds me all the time! Please, I want to be here with you." Sakura told him sincerely. _'Maybe I can find a loophole in all this…and save us both!' _she thought hopefully.

Sasuke closed his obsidian eyes. "Hn. But we aren't going back if you start feeling sick." He replied. She smiled at this and nodded. "I won't."

The two set up the picnic in silence, both having mental battles with themselves. Sakura found herself conversing with her inner self, trying to think of all the ways to stop him from proposing. While Sasuke was trying to figure out why Sakura wouldn't tell him what was on her mind.

'_You're overreacting, idiot. Women are complicated. Sometimes they don't understand why they're upset. They just are.' _His mind told him irritably. But Sasuke shook his head. _'That's not it. She's contemplating something, as if she wants to tell me, but can't. But why can't she?!' _It was beginning to piss him off.

'_Well…maybe she's pregnant.' _His mind suggested. Sasuke nearly choked on his spit at the thought of this. _'P-Pregnant?!''_

'_Well you certainly can't rule that out. As much as you guys-'_

"Sasuke? Are you okay?" Sakura asked hesitantly. "You look like the trees started moving…"

"A-Aah. C'mon." he replied quietly as they sat down and began to eat. "Mm, this is so good! But it doesn't taste like the food Gai and Lee make." She paused when she heard him grunt. A surprised expression crossed her face. "S-Sasuke did…you?"

"H-Hn."

"I never knew you could cook!" she exclaimed happily. _'There's a lot of things you don't know I can do…' _Sasuke thought but kept his eyes closed. "It's no big deal-"

But he immediately stopped talking when he heard her squeal with delight. "Are you blushing? "

"No."

"You are, aren't you!"

"No. I'm not."

"You don't have to hide it. You look cute when you blush." Sakura giggled.

"Che," Sasuke mumbled as she continued to giggle. _'Is this how my life will be…with Sakura by my side?' _he thought as a tiny smile curled at his lips. _'Was this how you were before you were married…father?'_

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"Damn it you just had to leave her ALONE, didn't you?" Kiba demanded as the two sprinted up the stairs to the 2nd floor. Naruto glared at him. "Shut up! How was I supposed to know that I couldn't leave Hinata-chan alone?! No one tells me shit around here!" he protested loudly.

"Che…you wouldn't have been able to understand it anyway…" the brunette mumbled under his breath. _'Not like we COULD anyway…Shikamaru wanted as less people involved as possible.'_"Oi, can't you run any faster?"

"I wasn't born in the mountains and lived among wolves, teme!"

"DOGS RETARD! DOGS!"

"Yeah, yeah same thing…"

As the two ran down the hall, Kiba filled him in. "To keep this _simple _for you. Orochimaru's been plannin' against Sasuke since the day he got here. He tried to kill Kaito through Gaara only he didn't give him a fatal blow-"

"Wait- so Gaara-teme's good now?"

"Naruto will you shut up until I'm done?!"

"Fine…dog boy…go on…"

"Che you- I don't have time for this…We donno if Gaara's on our side or not but Saito ended up bringing him to a secret room somewhere in the castle. The bastard's been taking care of him against Creepy's orders. And thanks to Hinata now we know he's planning to use Sakura against Sasuke tonight."

Naruto kept quiet about this, trying to drink it all in. All of it seemed unreal. They had been betrayed all this time and they almost lost Kaito. What were they going to do?

Kiba noticed the troubled look on the blonde's face and smacked the back of his head with a grin. "Don't look so depressed. Kaito and Shikamaru's been planning to stop him for awhile now. Have some faith will ya?"

They kept quiet until they made it up to the 3rd floor and down Hinata's hallway. That's when they noticed something thick and crimson dripping from the walls to the floor. But they stopped in horror when they realized just what it was.

Blood. As if someone had been dragged across the walls.

"Damn it…c'mon!" Kiba growled as they hurried down the corridor, but what they saw nearly made them sick.

5 of the guards that had been guarding the castle were thrown on the ground, arms and legs wretched in awkward positions…all in a pool of blood. They had been brutally murdered…but by whom?!

But one guard was alive. "T-Tasukete…." He gasped, clawing his way over to them. The man had one of his eyes dangling out of the socket and blood running down his robes and hands.

"Who did this to you?!" Kiba demanded, Naruto stood where he was, completely horrified. "An intruder…Y-Yakushi…Kabuto- Saito…betrayed us…he's after…the…hi…me…" the man managed to say before he fell motionless to the floor.

"Shit…HINATA-CHAN!!" Naruto yelled running over to her room. "Naruto! Be ca-"but Kiba could no longer yell to him when someone jumped down from the ceiling and blocked his path. "That's a s far as you go." Kabuto told him with a sneer.

"…I'm guessin' you're Yakushi Kabuto." Kiba told him, pulling out a kunai. Akamaru snarled next to him, which surprised the spectacled man. "Oh? An Inuzuka? I didn't realize there were any left." Kabuto asked mockingly.

'_Damn it…I couldn't smell him with all the blood…' _The man cursed.. "What have you done to Hinata you bastard?!"

"Hinata? Where's your manners, gaki (**a/n: means a child or kid**)?" He asked, grinning evilly. "I haven't done anything to her. I'm not to harm the hime, but I can't say the same about you." He pulled out a kunai and charged at him.

-

-

-

As Naruto ran into her room he found her sitting quietly on her bed. Relief waved over him. "You're okay…"

Hinata smiled at him and opened her mouth to say something but as she did, someone leaped down from the ceiling, grabbed hold of her body and held a kunai up to her neck. "I'm afraid you aren't going anywhere, Hinata-sama."

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"This has become quite troublesome, Kaito-san…" Shikamaru mumbled after informing Kaito about what Naruto had told him. But a reassuring smile curled at his lips. "Luckily, I suspected something like this would happen. Love and hate are things that can easily be manipulated. But Love always prevails over hate."

"What…? You predicted this?" Shikamaru repeated, confused. If Kaito predicted something like this would happen then why hadn't he prevented this troublesome conflict before it happened?

"I know what you're thinking, Shikamaru. But it was inevitable. The only way to defeat this man is through the false domino effect plan."

Shino and Shikamaru looked at each other. The white haired man smiled. "If we pretend that everything is going the way Orochimaru thinks it is, we can ambush him at the Crimson Lake, where Sakura is supposed to kill Sasuke."

"But how?"

"I didn't tell you? We have a new addition to us, a double agent in this risky game of chess."

The ponytail-haired man's eyes lit up. "You mean…?!"

The old man nodded, his faced crinkled into a pleased smile. "Aah. He should arrive later tonight. Where are Sasuke and Sakura?"

The younger men thought about this. "They don't appear to be in the castle." Shino responded. This made him nod. "Good, good. That buys us a little time." He paused to turn and grab the small parcel that Hiashi had gone through so much trouble to have delivered and opened it.

Shikamaru looked at it a little surprised. "Isn't that just-"

"Aah. It is. Shino, monitor Orochimaru's movements and deliver this parcel to Sakura's room. Remember, to be caught is to die."

"Understood." He replied before leaving the room after stuffing the small box into his robes. Shikamaru turned to leave as well. "Shikamaru, you are to stay here until nightfall."

The man looked outraged. "…What?!"

"Saito, should have informed Orochimaru about your involvement. As long as you stay hidden he cannot harm you." But Shikamaru shook his head defiantly. "I can't just sit here and watch that bastard kill the men of Uchiha castle just because a troublesome man told him I'm-"

"Calm yourself. If you're hurt, the plan cannot follow through." Kaito told him, but the angry stare didn't disappear. "Many people will be injured tonight, Shikamaru." He whispered, withdrawing another box.

Kaito opened it and revealed a mysterious red liquid in a tiny glass bottle. His eyes widened. "Is that…the poison?" Shikamaru asked. When the old man nodded, he seemed to calm down slightly. "I need your intellect. Are you willing stop this evil once and for all?"

"Tell me what I need to do."

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Naruto chuckled bitterly, after recovering from the shock. "I should've known you were behind this before Kiba told me." He told him. "You're nothing but a bastard going against your country."

Saito tightened his grip on the blade against Hinata's neck, remembering the command Orochimaru had given him early this morning.

"_O-Orochimaru-sama!" Saito bowed when the man appeared before him in his office with an urn-holding Kabutos. "What…is that?"_

_He grinned. "Ashes. I used this to gain control of the blossom."_

"_A-Are those truly the ashes of Haruno Hideaki?" he gasped. How could he have known where the Haruno had been lain?_

_This made the men chuckle. "Of course not. That little pawn of mine escaped my clutches years ago, carrying a strain of poison I created-the poison that's now a world epidemic."_

_Saito almost stopped breathing. There was only epidemic known in this time period…the great Sickness._

_So he was the creator. But how was it possible? The Sickness had been around for a little over a century!_

"_Are you surprised, Saito? Now do you comprehend what I'm capable of?" The man asked evilly, grabbing hold of his neck and hoisting him up. "Do you want to live, incompetent worm?!" he cackled._

_The man managed to nod, which in turn made Orochimaru throw him against a wall. He landed on the floor with a thud, choking and gasping for air. "Then you will do one simple task for me. Are you capable of doing __**that**__, Saito?"_

"_O-Of course, Orochimaru-sama."_

_He smiled evilly at him. "Good. You are to capture the Hinata-hime and bring her to the dungeons of the castle alive. No harm will come to her; I am in need of her kekkei genkai. I want her eyes."_

"It's true, that I have behind this all along, but I only want what's best for Konoha, and in my eyes and the elders we believe that Uchiha-sa…no…**Sasuke** is not fit to protect the people of this village and this country."

Naruto chuckled as he stood up, making him frown.

"What's so funny?!"

His eyes met Hinata's which were filled with tears and fear before he spoke. "If you think killing Sasuke, hurting Hinata-chan, and handing his kingdom over to a gay maniac will make Konoha a better place, than you're even more of an old geezer than I thought you were!"

"W-What did you say?!" Saito demanded, pressing more of the kunai against Hinata's neck. She jumped at this as a trickle of blood ran down her nape.

"Heh…you don't even realize Orochimaru plans to kill you after all this is over!"

He frowned, but then smirked as he eyed the dark figure coming up from behind him. "Once I prove to him I'm loyal I assure you I will live on. But of course, you won't see if that happens, Naruto-kun."

Hinata's eyes also looked at the dark figure coming towards Naruto. Her eyes met pale-blue ones and it nearly made her heart stop. The man inched closed Naruto.

'_N-No! This was my vision!' _She thought before her eyes turned pearl and the veins alongside her eyes became strained. With a quick jab of an elbow Hinata managed to release herself from Saito's grasp with only a small cut on her neck. Saito hit the wall with a loud thud before she hurried over to them.

"Naruto-kun!!" she yelled as the figure charged toward him and moved him out of the way just in time…

To take the blow.

Completely shocked by this, all Naruto could do was fall to the floor and watch the redheaded man pierce Hinata's skin with the blade of a kunai.

A sharp pain emitted through her body, and crimson leaked to the floor. She wretched up blood and turned to gaze at the blonde with a pained smile. "I stopped…my vision from happening…I'm glad…I don't know what…I would've done if you…" but as Gaara, with a horrified expression on his face, removed the blade from her body she fell to her knees and then collapsed onto the floor in a pool of her own blood.

Naruto ran over to her and touched her face with a shaky hand. "No…Hinata…HINATA-CHAN!!"

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Back in Konoha…

"…I can have this??" Sakura asked, gawking at a dress that Sasuke noticed she had been eyeing. "Why not?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

She lowered her head. "W-Well…it looks so expensive…I don't need it really!" Sakura told him with a small. Only deep down she had been eyeing it for months. The dress was said to be made overseas, where royal balls went on a regular basis, women wore extremely large dresses and there were stories about sea monsters called Loch Ness.

He smirked. "Nothing's too expensive."

Igoring her protests, he dragged her into the store and bought the dress easily. It paid to be lord…literally. Sakura kissed his cheek gratefully. "I'm going to go try it on!"

Sasuke waited in a chair for awhile, battling his thoughts once more. _'Are you sure you wanna go through with doing this? Proposing to this girl.'_

He scoffed at this. _'Of course.' _But his thoughts wouldn't be silenced. _'You aren't an ordinary human. You know you're…different. And proposing to her there is like trusting you with your life and the fate of the Uchiha clan. That's why your father beat you that day.' _

Sasuke lowered his eyes at the thought of this. To this day, every time he passed the door that led down _there _he could still feel the pain his father had brought upon him. _'Aah. She's the woman I've been waiting for. The one my mother told me about.'_

"…Sasuke?" Sakura asked timidly, suddenly appearing before him. His eyes widened slightly, but inside they nearly bulged out of his skull when his gaze met the pinkette before him.

The curve-hugging, sleeveless, mid-thigh dress was made of soft golden material. It seemed to bring out her piercing green eyes and flowing, rosy hair perfectly. She spun around in it. "What do you think?" she asked hopefully.

Sasuke, was completely at a loss of words; mesmerized by her beauty. "You don't like it?" the woman asked quietly.

"It's not that," he replied, almost too quickly as he rose. Idly he moved some hair from her bare shoulders before moving his hand up to meet her face gently. "It looks…good."

"Really?" Sakura asked, smiling brightly. Sasuke couldn't help but return it and give a simple nod.

The pinkette threw her arms around his neck. As she stood on tip-toes and pulled herself against him, so close their lips nearly touched. "You spoil me. Did I ever tell you that?" Sakura whispered, trailing her hand up and down his chest affectionately.

Sasuke smirked. "If this is how you thank me…maybe I should buy you things more often." He was definitely enjoying the attention she was giving him. She kissed him chastely. "All you have to do is ask, Sasuke-_kun_." Sakura purred.

Sasuke-kun. It had a nice ring to it.

"Let's go."

She nearly whined when he picked up all her bags (that filled each hand and then some). "So soon?"

"We've been here all day. It's almost sundown." He replied skeptically. The amount of time women could spend shopping and then some was unbelievable. She smiled; surprised he had had the patience to ignore all the lustful stares filled with longing for an entire day so she could happily shop.

But that was nothing compared to the hostility in the glares Sakura had been receiving. Yet she didn't seem to notice at all. Otherwise she was one hell of an actor.

"Let's go."

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"Hinata-chan…Hinata-chan please…" Naruto whispered shakily, hitting the girl's face lightly.

"_You are to accompany Saito and eliminate any rebellion. And that includes that annoying blonde." Orochimaru had ordered. He had expected the man's heart to waver, or at least show any sign of it. But to no avail._

_Gaara, on the outside, seemed like a heartless shell that had no compassion. But on the inside, he had planned to simply attack Naruto, but not give him a fatal blow, as he did Kaito._

But not even Kaito could predict that Hinata would be crazy enough to jump in the way and take the hit. It was meant for a man of Naruto's built. Could Hinata-a thinner, frailer being survive it?

Gaara simply stood there, in complete shock. _'Why…why did she jump in the way?!' _he thought; unable to understand why she was willingly to give her life for this man before her.

Was it…because she loved him? Could love truly drive you to do such a crazy thing? Even give your life?

But his thoughts were interrupted by a vicious blow to the face. Naruto hovered over the man, eyes red with rage. The expression he wore seemed inhuman. "You…You did this!" he snarled, grabbing hold of his robes.

"Why?! We trusted you, you bastard! You're nothing more than a traitor like Saito….now look at Hinata-chan…"

"HINATA!!" Kiba yelled, coming into view with Akamaru, clutching his right arm which had a large gash along the forearm. Part of his face was also scratched; blood trickled down passed his eye and to his chin.

Suddenly the man forgot about his injuries and knelt before her, shaking her gently. "Hinata…come on Hinata say something…damn it…HINATA!!" he yelled, then turned to Naruto. "Why didn't you save her?!"

The redheaded man stood, steadied himself, and walked over to the girl. But Naruto stood in front of him. "Stay away from her!" he snarled. Kiba looked at the two of them before he finally understood…

Gaara had attacked her.

Kiba suddenly found himself tackling the poor man and punched him with what seemed to be blind fury. "You bastard…you bastard…die…die!!"

Within a few minutes, the blonde had separated the two. "You were supposed to be on OUR side! Damn it…we TRUSTED you!" Kiba shouted, trying to struggle out of Naruto's grip. Pale blue eyes shielded themselves from the world before facing them again

"I can heal her." He replied quietly, making the two look up immediately. "Why should we trust you?!"

The man lowered his head again. "I'll explain later." Gaara paused to look up at them. "If you want her to live follow me."

Kiba and Naruto looked at each other with disbelief as he began to walk away. But when their eyes met the motionless woman at their feet, they decided to give it a shot.

'_Hang in there, Hinata-chan!' _Naruto thought before they lifted the girl gently onto Akamaru's back and began to follow the shaggy red-haired man down the hall.

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As Sasuke and Sakura entered the building, the pinkette turned to him a bright smile. "I'm going to go put my stuff away."

"Don't you want help?" Sasuke asked, releasing her waist so she could pick up her bags with ease. Over the time he had spent with her he discovered that his flower had strength that could possibly give _him _a run for his money.

She shook her head and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll just be a second." And with a turn of her foot she spun around and ascended up the steps, looking as if the weight of the bags were nothing.

"Hn. Hurry back," Sasuke told her, yet raised an eyebrow at how easily she was carrying them. _'Che. If she had no trouble carrying her bags why'd she make me do it?' _Sasuke suddenly wondered as he leaned against the wall and watched her ascend up the steps.

-

-

-

When Sakura made it up to the third floor she realized things were incredibly quiet. No guard was in sight. _'Hmm…this is weird. I wonder where Naruto, Hinata and the others are…' _she thought.

Now that she mentioned it, there had only been a few guards roaming around on the previous floors, and Naruto hadn't ambushed her with a bear hug yet. Had everyone gone out while they were in Konoha? Unless Orochimaru…

But she shook the thought from her head. _'He couldn't have gotten everyone. It isn't possible. There's too many people in Uchiha castle…' _as she entered her room and set the bags next to the window.

That's when Orochimaru appeared behind her.

Sakura spun around only to find herself behind held stiff by her chin, forcing her to look into his monstrous golden eyes. "Looks like it was a wise decision to check your room first. Ne, my blossom?"

'_Who the HELL does this guy think he is; grabbing us like this?! Shannaro!' _Inner Sakura demanded, punching the air. "What do you want now? A lock of Sasuke's hair before you want me to kill him?" '_Can someone say CREEPY?!' _Inner Sakura added.

He chuckled. "I'm almost hurt by your words." But he licked his lips. "But I'm more intrigued by that look in your eyes-"

"What do you want from me?" She interjected harshly, fighting the urge to spit in his face. An evil grin appeared on his face. "I almost forgot. I'm here to give you the blade in which you shall kill Sasuke-kun with."

Sakura's breathing hitched when he pulled out the blade. It was dark as night. Even the blade itself was dark...

Then she gasped. The blade wasn't black, but a dark purple. It was filled with poison!

"Why are you hesitating? Take it, my blossom." Orochimaru told her, the grin on his face widened. Sakura jerked her head out of his grip, slapping his hand away. "I'm not your dog!"

"You cannot resist me." He laughed, looking more evil than he ever had. Suddenly, Sakura's hand began to act on its own and grabbed hold of the handle.

Sakura felt tears trickle down her cheeks as she slipped the blade into her sleeve. "You cannot escape your fate, my dear blossom. The moment the moon is full and highest in the sky you will be lead down to the Crimson Lake. And after accepting his proposal, you alone will the responsible for the death of the last Uchiha."

"Damn you…" she murmured, unable to move. All she could do was glare at him.

Orochimaru took a few steps back into the shadows, cackling evilly. "You were warned to stay away. Now your hate will be the death of the one dearest to you. You've sealed his fate, Haruno Sakura."

The moment he had disappeared, the pinkette felt her knees buckle beneath her. She hit the floor in frustration. _'Kuso! Sasuke…I'm sorry…'_

Sakura stood up and stared out at Konoha below, particularly the field where she had gone back to him. _'I should've lied to him…then none of this would've happened! Damn it!!' _she screamed mentally. But under the moon's gleam something shone on her bed.

And from the reflection of the window pane she realized it was a thin, tiny box.

'_What's this?' _she thought before sitting on her bed and opening the box. At first, she thought of it nothing more than a gift from one of the guards, but was surprised when realizing it was a letter rolled up and tied in an old gold bow and addressed to her.

Sakura unrolled the note slowly before her eyes widened. "This is…"

-

-

-

After reading the note, then re-reading it a few more times, uncontrollable tears began to stream down her cheeks. Sakura held the note close to her, allowing the tears to roll down her chin and onto the hands clutching the piece of paper.

After regaining her composure, Sakura wiped her eyes and stuffed strands of pink hair behind her ear. Carefully, she placed the note back into the box and stuffed it into her sleeves. _'Gomen…forgive me for not…believing in you.' _She thought while a sad smile played across her lips.

'_Forgive me…for misunderstanding your intentions.'_

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"…I've confirmed that Sakura has read the letter." Shino replied, appearing once more in the room. But he was surprised to see Shikamaru standing beside Kaito (also standing for the first time in awhile) who gave him a smile.

"Well done. None of this would've been possible if I didn't have yours and Kiba's support. As well as yours, Shikamaru. Now all we have to do is wait for Gaara to return-"

"You don't have to." Gaara responded monotonously, suddenly coming into view with Naruto, an injured Kiba, and a bloody Akamaru carrying Hinata on his back.

"I see your task was easier said than done." Kaito commented as the men gawked at them. "That Kabuto guy attacked me and Akamaru." Kiba added irritably. "Luckily, we train everyday. We gave that guy a run for his money."

"I'd expect nothing less of an Inuzuka." He praised. But then he turned his attention to Naruto and Hinata. "I'm guessing…the plan didn't work out as I had hoped, Gaara?"

The pale blue-eyed man lowered his head and refused to speak. "Hinata-chan…pushed me out of the way. She took the hit…" Naruto mumbled numbly while looking down at the pale, motionless woman.

Shikamaru rubbed his temples. "Troublesome girl…bring her over here."

Naruto and Kiba's eyes lit up. "You mean- you can save her?!" they watched the man's smile lightly. "Oi, Gaara you didn't tell 'em did you?"

The redheaded man shook his head, which made him sigh. "That explains the troublesome look on their faces…Gaara's on our side. No questions about it." He explained as he gathered some herbs and began to crush them in a bowl.

"But…he tried to attack me!" Naruto protested, pointing to himself. "How can you say this bastard's one of us?!"

"Naruto, shut up, listen and maybe you'll understand" Shikamaru ordered roughly. Normally, he would protest, but Hinata's life was at stake. So he immediately shut his mouth. "Orochimaru instructed him to kill you and whoever else involved so he could kidnap Hinata." He paused to rip open some of Hinata's clothing so he could gain access to the wound.

"Luckily, he came to me about a week ago. I instructed him to go along with Orochimaru's orders, to look as though he had no problem with doing it, but attack you as he did me." Kaito finished.

Naruto and Kiba turned their attention to Gaara who looked away. "…I didn't think she'd get in the way."

"No one did," the old man said, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "But I'm proud of you. Had Gaara not come to me that night, many lives would've been taken. Now, we can follow through and stop this man once and for all."

After Shikamaru finished healing Hinata he gestured to Kiba. "Now you."

Kiba hesitated. "You aren't gonna do some voodoo shit on me are you- WHOA WHAT'D YOU DO TO HINATA'S WOUND?!" he shouted, looking at the woman, no longer having a stab wound on her side.

Naruto hurried over to them and saw that his friend was right. Shikamaru had cleaned her up so there was no blood, only a thin, red mark where the kunai had cut her. "She's…healed…" he murmured. Relief waved over him once more.

She was going to be alright.

"SHHHIIITTTT!! THAT HURTS SHIKAMARU!!" Kiba roared as the man applied the same green herbs as he did to Hinata's wound; also what Saito had done for Kaito. Naruto watched the gash on Kiba's arm heal like magic, closing itself up in the process. (**a/n: think of when Naruto got hurt back in the verrryyy beginning of the anime, the bride-builder arc. When they got ambushed by those two shinobi. Kaka-sensei watched his cut heal extremely fast. That's where I got the idea from :D)**

The man wiped the blood off his face and stared at his arm. "Wow…what is that stuff?" He asked, waving his arm around happily. Shikamaru shrugged. "It doesn't have a name, but it's not an ordinary herb."

"Now that we're all healed and informed, please follow me. Since Kabuto is still around the palace we must proceed with caution. There is someone we must pick up before we go to ambush Orochimaru." Kaito told them, gesturing the group to follow. They placed Hinata back onto Akamaru's large back and followed him to a secret door which revealed a long, narrow path.

Though Shikamaru and Shino followed him with ease, Naruto and Kiba looked at each other. Then to Gaara, who met their eyes for a split second before turning his back on them. "You'll see for yourselves." And with that he turned to follow Shino.

-

-

-

The group came to a room dimly lit with candles shortly after entering the passageway. There inside was a figure, sitting patiently. When they entered the figure rose. "I see you've returned." Said a soft voice, belonging to a woman.

"Ehh? A woman? Why do we need her Kaito-jii?" Naruto asked, but realized this woman held a sad, betrayed look in her eyes. Kaito smiled sympathetically. "She's the sole key to the death of Orochimaru. Are you sure you want to go through with it, Kin-san? There are other ways-"

"Please. You and Gaara-san were kind enough to save me, but I have to do this." She replied, walking over to the old man nodded understandingly.

"I see there's no stopping you…" he pulled out the tiny glass bottle holding a crimson liquid and handed it to her. "It will break on impact. Thank you for doing this willingly. You will be forever known as a hero in the Uchiha kingdom."

But the woman scoffed at this. "Che, a hero? I'm not doing it for any of you guys. Orochimaru took someone dear to me years ago… I was hoping he could bring him back to me-I believed he could do anything. I served him faithfully,but he betrayed me." She paused to turn to Naruto, Kiba and Gaara.

"He used me, then tried to get rid of me like I was nothing! And now I want revenge. I want to avenge that person dear to me!"

The old man closed his eyes, as if thinking. The room became silent for awhile before he spoke. "Very well. There isn't much time. We must hurry."

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"S-Sasuke…where are you taking me?" Sakura asked hesitantly, though she knew very well where they were going; remembering Orochimaru's words. _**"He will propose to you at the Crimson Lake…"**_

Sasuke had taken her up to the 4th floor, past his bedroom and to a door that led lead downwards. Had Sakura not held onto his hand for guidance, she would've stumbled for it was pitch-black. But of course, Sasuke knew this castle like the back of his hand, and led her with effortlessly.

Suddenly, they came to a stop, a door standing in their way. "Stay back." Sasuke told her before things became quietly. After a long pause, there was a loud clicking noise and the door swung open.

And the smell of wet grass and water filled her nose almost immediately…

Wait…grass? Water?

"Oh…my…" Sakura found herself saying as she looked around. The two found themselves standing in a field of grass. In the middle of the field held a large lake. Two stone pillars stood on either side of a large stone pathway; leading to the center of the lake where a large, covered object sat.

And in the sky above, held a large crimson moon.

"Come on." The raven-haired man told her, grabbing hold of her wrist and leading her down to the water. He watched her bend down to touch the water. "This all seems unreal…" '_So this is Crimson Lake… that explains the red water.''_

"My ancestors built this place centuries ago. We call it the Crimson Lake." Sasuke explained as she continued to examine the sparkling crimson water. "So the water's red by the glow of the moon? But why-"her voiced trailed up when she finally looked up into his eyes.

"S-Sasuke-kun! You're eyes!!" she exclaimed, immediately standing up to examine his eyes more closely. They were also crimson. "This is the Sharingan."

"Sha-Sharingan? Does it have something to do with the red moon?" Sakura asked, looking deeply into them. He nodded. "Somewhat. This place was built by Uchiha clan members. In the presence of one this place exists."

So…this is place…it's more like an illusion…?"

Sasuke nearly smiled at her. "Not quite. Most rooms in the castle won't appear unless I activate my Sharingan. This is the secret of the Uchiha clan; as great as my life."

Sakura backed up a little. "S-Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and returned them to their original obsidian state before looking back at her. The moon was no longer red, disappeared with the Sharingan"You hold the key to my life now." He told her softly.

'_More than you know…Sasuke…' _the pinkette thought sorrowfully. All of a sudden a wave of fear came crashing down on her, as if Orochimaru were watching from somewhere close.

Somehow…he had snuck in!

"But…why, Sasuke-kun? Why would you trust me with something like this?"

"Isn't it obvious, Sakura?" he asked, smirking at her as he bent down before her. "Kami…" the pinkette murmured. _'Don't cry…don't cry, Sakura get a grip!' _She told herself over and over to hold back the tears. "Sasuke-"

'_I'm actually doing this…' _Sasuke thought wildly and wondered if his father felt this nervous when he proposed to his mother. He pulled out the tiny velvet box and opened it, revealing a shimmering silver ring. In the middle of it held a pink diamond- extremely rare and expensive in Konoha. Kami, how much had he spent on her?!

"I want…you to stay here with me, Sakura."

She let out a sob and covered her mouth at this. "Oh Sasuke…" Sakura told him, completely in shock. She would've liked nothing more than to tackle him to the ground and smother him with kisses; it was what she had been dreaming out (secretly) for years, to have a man so deeply in love with her than he'd have to get down on his knees.

And Sakura had never guessed that man would be Uchiha Sasuke.

But then again, she never dreamed she'd be manipulated into killing him either. "I…can't…Sasuke-kun…I just can't…!" she whispered shakily. _'You're going to die!!'_

Sasuke stood up, still clutching the shimmering ring in his hand. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly and closed his eyes; taking in her sweet scent. "You can, Sakura."

"You don't understand…I'll only bring you problems!" Sakura pleaded as more tears fell and stained his robes. She was fully aware of the monstrous golden-eyed man staring at them now, waiting for the Uchiha to fall. But Sasuke was all the more puzzled. Did all women act like this?

He put a hand on her tear-stained cheek. "Why are you acting this way?" the raven-haired man asked, unable to understand her at all. The woman touched his hand. "…I don't want to hurt you…I…"

But he scoffed at her and kissed her tears away. "Is that all?"

Sakura shook her head. "You- you don't understand!" _'I can't tell you!' _

This only made him frown, feeling a little hurt.. Here he was pouring his heart out to her and swallowing his pride enough to propose, and she was denying him! What was going on?

"Don't you love me, Sakura? Aren't you…happy with me?" Sasuke asked, meeting her eyes this time. He watched her expression look taken aback. "Of course I am! I love you with all my heart!" She blurted out defiantly. He smirked, satisfied by her answer, "Then why-"

"But," Sakura interjected quietly this time. "I-I don't deserve to be here and know the Uchiha secret…I don't deserve your love. I can't tell you why I feel this way…just let me go this time! I'm begging you-"

"I can't let you go." he told her in a low tone as a devilish smirk appeared on his face. "…You stole my heart, Haruno Sakura."

But she shook her head, sobbing even more. Why couldn't he just say "alright" and let her go? If he did… he could live!

Because he was just too stubborn.

"You're scared." He murmured when he noticed the fear in her emerald eyes. "…I'm scared too, Sakura. Scared of these feelings…you give me." The man murmured to her quietly, looking away for a second.

He wasn't understanding. But Sakura shook her head again. "N-No…that's not it, Sasuke, I-"

"I won't let anything happen." Sasuke told her firmly as knelt before her again, looking a little uncomfortable. Sakura knew that it was difficult for him to say things like this. Yet he was trying so hard…trying so hard to show and tell her how much he loved her.

'_Even you can't avoid this, Sasuke…' _she thought as she shut her eyes and gave a miserable nod. Then, for the first time in years, he smiled a real smile. "See? Nothing happened." He told her softly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

"I trust you." She murmured into his chest, closing her eyes and snaking her arms his neck. Sakura noticed the smirk on Orochimaru's face in the reflection of the clear water when she slipped the blade into her hands.

"But…" Sakura added quietly, pushing the raven-haired man gently before plunging the blade down…

Into her own chest.

A smirk of her own appeared on her face. "Orochimaru…it's **my **win."

Sasuke, horrified by the sight, watched his blossom shut her emerald eyes and fall back.

"SAKURA!!"

**TBC…**

**Sakura has broken the curse Orochimaru bestowed upon her but with a heavy price…How will Sasuke react to this, how did she break the curse and what are Kaito and the others planning?! Stay tuned!**

**Ahh you thought it was going to be another Ella Enchanted story :D. Guess again! I twisted the plot in the last minute. This totaled out to 21 pages (because of my reviewers and the replies I put in.)**

**I have decided:**

**06/20/08- Will be the release of Chapter 44: I'll Love You 'Till the Last Rose Dies (sad ending) in honor of one of my reader's birthdays! **

**And Depending on your reactions, I'll get the VERY LAST CHAPTER (the happy ending) up as well! **

**Till Nxt Time!**

**xxasukachanxx**


	44. I'll Love You 'Till the Last Rose Dies

**AHHH Gomen na sai!! I apologize for not being able to get this up, but I've been away from my laptop, and I've had some family problems… **

**I wish I could make it shorter (along with gotten rid of my cursed writer's block!) so I could've updated this faster, but I absolutely want to end it at 45 so it has to be long !**

**Ehehe…I made some of you guys cry with that ending…maybe I shouldn't have read the some of the reviews before typing this…I sorta don't want to go through with it. I feel really bad…maybe I'll just…NO! I must! I promised you guys I would! I must be strong!**

**This is it…the Sad Ending.**

**Reminder: ****If you DON'T want to be sad and absolutely positively want happy ending filled with smiles and fluff, wait until the Happy Ending/Final Rose Extra AND DON'T READ THIS!! (well unless you want to see the difference between it. Ehh it's up to you :) )**

**Special SPECIAL Thanks To:**

**(Because it's late I won't have my Special Thanks section up. I'm really terrible. Gomen ne!)**

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As Saito entered the Lunar Room he looked around, calling out to Kaito; who should've been lying down on the Uchiha rug.

"Looking for Kaito-san? He's not here…traitor." Kabuto told him with a sneer, appearing behind him. The old man spun around to face him and realized he had been severely injured. Blood trickled down the side of his head, and one of his arms was dripping blood; as if it had been crushed. "K-Kabuto-dono-"

"Save it. I had a feeling you were hiding something, and I finally took it upon myself to follow you." The spectacled man said, pausing to pull out a kunai. "While I was fighting the Inuzuka, you failed to capture the Hyuuga heiress. You also failed to dispose of the old man who Gaara had failed to kill."

Saito lowered his head as Kabuto continued to talk. "I'm willing to pay for my betrayal, but I'm afraid I'm taking you with me." The man said softly.

Suddenly, the door that Kabuto had entered shut and locked.

He was trapped.

"Nani-"

"I knew both of your suspicion of me and your plan to kill me tonight. After caring to Kaito-san I realized someone as wicked as myself did not deserve life." Saito explained. Several pipes began to spring from the floorboard and emit a purple gas.

"You see, Kabuto-dono, you are not the only medic. This gas is a deadly poison I created of my own accord many decades ago. Once you inhale the poison it attacks your internal organs and acts as an acid. You'll deteriorate from the inside out; bones and all."

Kabuto began to choke; his chest beginning to become agonizingly tight with pain. "You're…inhaling it too…so how come…how come it's not affecting you?!" the spectacled man demanded, falling to his knees and clenching a hand over his chest which was screaming with pain.

Saito closed his eyes. "But it is. For the poison to work I had to test out each level of it on myself. Each more painful than the other." He paused to open his robes to show his chest. The skin was enflamed and peeling off, as if acid itself had been slowing eating away at it.

His body was practically a walking, rotting corpse; truly deteriorating from the inside out.

"By sunrise we will both be dead." The old man thought; watching Kabuto writhe in pain on the ground.

'_This is the least I can do, Kaito-san, Sasuke-sama. I hope…that one day…you can forgive me- for all I've done.' _The old man thought, before falling himself. The skin on his face began to melt away including what was left of his body.

Gradually, the two became skeletons…

Then, ash itself.

-

-

-

"Orochimaru…it's **my **win." Sakura murmured as she plunged the blade into her chest.

Sasuke stared, horrified at the sight, but caught her gently and lowered her to the ground. He touched her cheek with a shaky hand as he watched the color slowly drain from her face. He couldn't believe it. It was too overwhelming to grasp…

Yet there was no denying it; Sakura had just stabbed herself.

But why? Why?!

"Sakura…" he whispered in disbelief, staring down at her and the blade piercing her body.

Blood began to soak her dress and onto his hands as he pulled out the blade. Instantly realizing that it was dripping with poison. "Sakura…why did you- SAKURA!!"

The pinkette opened her emerald eyes as blood began to trickle down the corners of her mouth. _'So…I was able to act on my own in the end. I'm glad.' _"Orochimaru …he tried…to control me. He was watching…this entire time; expecting…me to sta..b…you."

Sakura paused when more blood began to leak from her mouth. But an unmistakable smile curled at her lips. "But…he wasn't expecting…I'd find this." she replied while pulling out the tiny box containing the letter.

Sasuke grabbed the box from her bloodied and began to read the note. At first glance, he was surprised to see who it was from. "…Haruno Hideaki."

_My Daughter Sakura,_

_By the time you get this, I will probably be dead. But, I decided to write this, just in case someone ever tried to manipulate the hate you had for me. How did I know you'd hate me? Well, what daughter wouldn't hate their father for abandoning them? A saint perhaps. Heh. Anyways, you probably want to know why I left in the first place? You can chose to believe if or not, but I left for the love of my family. _

_You see, as you probably know now, the Sickness took over your mother's body, and I was desperate to find a cure. I met Orochimaru, the creator of the disease, one day during my travels. You're probably wondering how this could be true since it's been around for hundreds of years. Somehow this crazy man found a way to manipulate the substance so it kept him alive instead of kill him. _

_I came to a conclusion that if I made a strain of it I could cure your mother. He offered to give me access to his research so I could find a cure if I worked for him and told no one about what I was doing. But later I discovered he had been manipulating my strive to cure your mother._

_I did a lot of terrible things; too many to write or recall. One day I escaped with a strain of the disease I had perfected; an undeveloped cure. If I could continue to evolve it I would've been successful. But on my return to Konoha I fell victim to the disease myself (shortly after discovering that your mother had died). _

_I became overcome with depression, and I had to leave. But on my departure I was apprehended by men of the Hyuuga clan (obviously the news of my association with Orochimaru had spread fast)._

_Hiashi-san's wife spared me when I pleaded my story (she too had fallen victim to the Sickness so she could empathize) and presented her with undeveloped cure. The kind woman wanted to let me go, but I wanted to be punished for all that I had done; I didn't deserve to live out the rest of my days in my country in which I had betrayed. Nor live with you, my beloved daughter._

_Hiashi decided to hold onto the strain of the disease, so he could continue my work. I hope that now you understand my intentions, you can find it in your heart to forgive a man so desperate to find a cure for his wife that he did many horrible things in hopes of obtaining it._

_I will always love my daughter and my wife (I had hoped to find the cure and propose to her); never doubt this. And never EVER let anyone control you through your emotions. You're a strong girl, Sakura; I can see it in your eyes!_

_-Your pathetic excuse for a father, Haruno Hideaki._

_P.S I hear that my good friends, the Uchiha's had a boy around your age! If you don't end up completely hating the male species I think you should give him or his brother, Itachi a try (when you're as old as I am…)! It'd be wild to discover that my daughter married my one of my best friend's sons!_

Sasuke fell silent as he finished reading this. He turned back to the emerald eyed woman lying on his lap; still barely able to grasp the situation now going on around him. Just moments ago he had been proposing to her, now he was covered in her blood and reading a note explaining why he was in the first place.

"…Orochimaru did this to you?"

The pale man suddenly appearing from the shadows, scowling at the deflation of his plan. "You…how did you, a **weak **and incompetent woman, break my curse- which was indissoluble?!"

Sakura turned to look at the man with neither cold nor warm eyes. "…Forgiveness."

She had been controlled by her hate for her father. So once she understood his intentions and his mistakes, the hate dissipated. Along with the curse controlling her.

But a frown came to her bloodied lips when the man began to laugh maniacally. "Do you honestly think that just because you stabbed yourself I've lost?!" he demanded. In a matter of seconds his scowl turned into his creepy evil grin.

"My foolish blossom, forgiveness or not, the only thing YOU'VE lost is your life! That blade is filled with an incurable poison!"

Without a word, Sasuke rose. "Sa…suke-kun…?" Sakura managed to mumble. he raven-haired man turned to glance at her. "Don't speak anymore." Sasuke said her gently.

"Oh? You plan to oppose me even after reading Hideaki's final words? I'm immortal you fool! Uchiha or not you cannot kill me!" the pale man laughed.

"We'll see." The raven-haired man murmured as he closed his eyes. Within this time, the sky began to darken and the red moon returned (**a/n: think of when Itachi used the Mangekyou Sharingan on Sasuke **)

Orochimaru shot a kunai towards the man with great speed. "Don't close your eyes to your opponent, Uchiha Sasuke-kun!" he told him evilly.

Sasuke's eyes opened, revealing the Sharingan. The black commas surrounding his eyes (**a/n: I know by now that Sasuke-kun has a ridiculously new Sharingan, and somewhere I think at **** you can find out what it means, but bear with me!**) began to swirl wildly.

Effortlessly, he grabbed the kunai between his finger tips and appeared behind the man, twirling it around his index finger as if to taunt him. "Your kunai won't touch me, snake." He told him with a taunting smirk.

Angrily, the pale man drew his sword, Kusanagi. "You dare taunt me?!" Orochimaru demanded, turning around to stab the Uchiha. Only to find that Sasuke was no longer behind him.

"Running away, Uchiha-kun-Orochimaru mocked. Until he heard a chuckle above him.

"Far from it." The Uchiha responded.

Orochimaru raised his head to meet the crimson-eyed man. Loud chirping noises could be heard from his right fist as it began to emit a bluish glow.

The snake tightened his grip on the Kusanagi and turned his body; so the attack would hit shoulder. He seemed to feel a strike of lightning surge through his body as Sasuke hollered, "_Chidori_!"

'_L-Lightening?!' _Orochimaru thought in shock as the momentum of the attack threw him back. He clenched his bleeding shoulder while hissing in pain. But then he licked his lips as if fascinated.

"What a _marvelous _technique, Sasuke-kun. But it's a shame; the blossom won't survive through the night no matter what you do!" Orochimaru chuckled.

But the smirk was wiped off his face when Sasuke disappeared again.

Sasuke appeared before him, at eye level now, and holding the kunai the monstrous-eyed man had attempted to attack him with. He plunged it into the man's abdomen without restraint and watched him howl with pain.

But what Orochimaru hadn't expected was to hear the chirping again and the strange bluish glow running up the metal of the kunai to strike him.

Sasuke smirked, nearly looking inhuman as the man fell onto one of his knees. "Enough with your taunts," he ordered, raising his leg to kick him a few feet away. "Get serious."

Sasuke frowned when Orochimaru began to laugh. "Expect the unexpected. Sasuke-kun." He hissed, looking past his shoulder and at the snake opening his mouth to bite him. The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly as he stared at the snake lunging at him.

With ease Sasuke grabbed the snake's neck and crushed it. But a smirk creeped onto his pale opponent's face. After commanding the dark blade that Sakura had stabbed herself with to sail towards Sasuke he began to laugh hysterically.

"Never turn your back on your enemy, Sasuke-kun!!"

But neither men had expected a woman with long dark hair to appear in front of him and take the hit; willingly allowing it to pierce her stomach.

"SA…SAKURA-CHAN!!" Naruto hollered, running down a hill of grass along side Kiba, Akamaru (carrying an unconscious Hinata), Gaara, Shino, Shikamaru and Kaito.

"Naruto-"Sasuke began, turning to look at the group running towards Sakura. How was everybody suddenly appearing in the Uchiha's secret hiding spot?

And why was Kaito here? Had they all known what was going to happen?

Then, he realized that the rise and fall of Sakura's chest was beginning to decrease. At this rate, Orochimaru's words would become fact: Sakura was dying.

"Kuso!" cursed the woman, wincing in pain blade pierced her skin. Sasuke watched her rip out the blade without hesitation, pull out a tiny glass bottle filled with a crimson liquid, and attach it to the blade with a thin piece of black rope. All at a nearly inhuman speed.

With a quick turn of her foot, she shot the blade back at the pale man; who was still down on one knee. "It's over, Orochimaru!" she yelled.

Sasuke watched the bottle explode on impact when the blade hit his shoulder. While the blade pierced his shoulder, the glass bottle exploded. The man began to hiss and howl with pain, clasping a hand onto his face, which began to burn off from the shards of glass and red liquid that had hit his face.

"Kin! How are you still alive!" he demanded as bits of his skin fell to the grass and turned to ash. But what was behind the skin didn't seem to appear human at all.

Kin smirked vengefully. "Do you honestly believe I could die knowing you **betrayed **me and **killed **Zaku, you monster?! I could never die knowing you're still alive!" she screamed at him. Orochimaru was shocked. Even the Uchiha himself seemed surprised at the strive to watch the man kneeling before them die in this woman's eyes; it was almost evil.

Was this what vengeance did to you?

But the sound of her yelling brought him back to his senses. "What are you waiting for, Uchiha?!" Kin barked, holding the spot where the blade had pierced her skin with a pained expression.

"Aah." the raven-haired man responded monotonously as he closed his eyes. By a simple glance, Sasuke could tell that this woman was going to die; her wound was too serious and beyond repair.

But the look in her dark eyes signified that she could care less. Perhaps, she wanted to be able die knowing she had brought him down with her own hands?

His body began to emit a blue-purple glow, and the chirping noises seemed to turn into sparks of lightning itself. Crimson eyes opened, and the Sharingan itself formed into a strange flower.

"Feel honored, snake. You're the first person to see this in awhile. _Chidori_ _Nagashi_!" Sasuke declared before charging at Orochimaru, piercing his heart. But what he noticed instantaneously was that the Chidori seemed stronger by a thousand-fold. Including that Orochimaru's skin was mysteriously easier to pierce. Was that strange liquid the result of this?

The snake crumpled to the ground, cursing him with his last breath before turning to ash and blowing away with the wind.

'_You weren't worth the trouble.'_ Sasuke thought while deactivating the Sharingan.

"Hinata-chan! Don't try to move!" He heard Naruto say. And immediately, he forgot about the snake. Naruto had an arm wrapped around the dark-haired woman, who was desperately trying to hoist herself off Akamaru's back so she could kneel beside Sakura.

"N-Naruto-kun…I'm fine really!" The woman said but fell silent when Sasuke appeared after sprinting over to the group crowding over the pink-haired woman that was being healed by Shikamaru.

The 7 lowered their heads.

"It appears…we were too late." Kaito said in a low tone. The raven-haired man clenched his fists. "You mean she's-"

"She's going to live." Shikamaru interjected, but didn't look up to meet his eyes. Nor did he sound as though it was a good thing. He furrowed his brows and knelt on the other side of Sakura, touching her face.

"And?" he asked, staring at the ponytailed man. "…I'm not sure how long she'll be able to hold out. The poison in that blade was filled with a poison probably equivalent to the Sickness."

"But we'll see what we can do, Sasuke. Perhaps we can cure her. Come, let's go to the infirmary. We shall fill you in." Kaito told him as they walked back to the infirmary.

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"…So he planned this from the beginning." Sasuke grumbled, looking down at the white tiles of the infirmary floor.

Kaito nodded after filling him in on what had been happening since the moment of Orochimaru's arrival. "The crimson liquid Kin threw at Orochimaru was the strain Hideaki-san had stolen from him; only in raw form. Once out of its bottle it attacks anything it touches. Which was why he seemed to be killed more easily."

The guards had found Yozu in his office, slaughtered mercilessly by Orochimaru. They realized he had been killed a few days before that. Including a few of the elders who had found him.

They also found the guards that had attempted to protect Hinata. Along with Saito and Kabuto who had died by unknown causes in a secret room.

Silence filled the air before Kaito spoke again. "We hadn't expected Sakura to…go to such extreme measures to break the curse Orochimaru had put on her. Gomen na sai, Sasuke. If we had been a few moments sooner-"

"It's not your fault." Sasuke told him wearily. The energy he had consumed when fighting Orochimaru made him exhausted. Yet, The fear of never being able to see his sweet, smiling cherry blossom again made him stay awake.

Shikamaru, Kiba and Hinata were the only ones allowed in the room where Sakura and Kin were being treated. The three had an immense task ahead of them, yet the wait to see them seemed all the more unbearable.

The rest of the room stayed silent for the remainder of the time. Next to Sasuke, Naruto seemed to be having the most time coping. He couldn't imagine what his best friend was going through. He had almost lost Hinata, who also had tried to sacrifice herself for his sake.

But this was different; much more severe than anything else.

Sakura could be dying.

And there was nothing they could do about it.

'_Don't give up, Sakura-chan!' _Naruto thought as he clenched his fists more tightly.

-

-

-

After 3 grueling hours, the three emerged from Sakura and Kin's room. Sasuke immediately stood up, staring at the ponytailed man.

"How is she?" Naruto asked for him, but the remorseful expression on Shikamaru's face seemed to be more than enough of an answer…there was nothing else he could do for her.

"…She wants…to see you." Shikamaru told him softly.

With a nod, the Uchiha allowed Shikamaru to lead him into the room to be alone with her. But when his obsidian eyes fell upon his fallen blossom, a deep pain in his chest nearly took his breath away.

Sakura was paler than the sheets she was lying on. An IV was attached to her arm, she was bandaged from the shoulders down, and stains of blood could be seen from lips.

By first glance, had her emerald eyes been closed, Sasuke would've thought she was dead.

A weak smile grazed her lips. "Sasuke-kun…you're alright!" Sakura exclaimed. She had nearly killed herself and was dying as she spoke…so how could she still be worried about him?

…Because she loved him more than life itself.

Sasuke sat down on the bed next to Sakura and caressed her pale cheek. "…I'm sorry Sakura."

A tiny hand wrapped around his wrist, an even wider smile on her face. "…What're you talking about, silly? You did nothing wrong!"

"No. I was selfish. If I listened to you…you wouldn't have had to-"but his voice trailed off when a hand touched his cheek. "There's no one to blame but myself. When you first met me…weren't YOU the one…that told ME revenge wasn't the answer?"

"Sasuke, sorry but Sakura needs rest." Shikamaru told him, peeking into the room. Sasuke rose at this. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called to him, grabbing his arm before he left her side. He turned his head enough to face her, the smile still curled at her lips. "Aishiteru (**a/n: means "I love you". Mainly lovers, those truly in love, or married couples use this one.**)."

The raven-haired man bent down and gave her a soft kiss. "Aah. Watashi mo (**a/n: means "me too".**)."

The smile still remained, even when he walked to the door. But the minute he left, Sakura let out a whimper as she cringed in pain and held her chest. The pain was almost unbearable; almost enough to kill her.

'_It hurts…it hurts so much…Okaa-sama…was this what you went through everyday…?' _the pink-haired woman thought as tears fell from her emerald orbs before she shut them and dozed off into a painful sleep.

-

-

-

"I don't know how she does it." Shikamaru told him as they walked back to the group, "It's amazing how she's able to speak or move let alone keep consciousness. Sakura truly is-"

"She's dying, isn't she?" Sasuke asked quietly. No matter how alright she seemed the Uchiha knew better. Sakura was suffering.

The ponytailed man lowered his head. "I was able to heal her wound since it wasn't too close to her heart. But the poison is already making its way into her bloodstream. Sakura's case is a troublesome one, so judging by how much she's prolonged it on her own…she only has 12 days. 12 ½ if you count right now. I'm sorry, Sasuke."

'_12 days…' _"Hn. Arigato." The raven-haired man responded before returning to Naruto and the group without another word.

"S-Sasuke," said the blonde and watched him walk past without a glance. "…Naruto. Tomorrow, come with me to Konoha. Okay?" Sasuke asked before walking past him and out of the infirmary.

"Sakura's dying, Naruto." Kiba told him without looking up. Angrily, Naruto grabbed his collar. "Don't say that! Sakura-chan can't be dying…she…"

"I'm no doctor, but I can tell by just looking at her. She's fighting for her life even though it's pointless."

But Hinata pulled on his arm. "N-Naruto-kun…Kiba-kun's right. I-I looked at Sakura with my Byakugan a-and…even though the poison's eating away at her s-she's trying to fight it off."

'_Sakura-chan…' _Naruto thought before he sat back down. _'She's trying to live…for Sasuke…'_

**(a/n: the words in underlined italics are words from the quote. Make sure you read it!!**)

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_Once, there was a boy and a girl…_

"You're lying!!" Ino screamed as she struck Sasuke's face the next morning when they had informed her about what happened.

"Why would Sasuke lie about something like this?!" Naruto argued as the blonde woman began to shake with anger and denial. Tears fell down her cheeks as she crumpled to the floor.

"She can't be dying…I was supposed to come to her wedding…to see her first kid…to see her happy and live with you guys!!" Ino sobbed. Though he kept a serene front, Sasuke's insides were cringing. He too had thought about a life with Sakura. She made him content; happy. Without her…nothing seemed to make sense. Nothing seemed to matter.

Sakura was his world.

The raven-haired man bent down so he could be eye-level with the sobbing woman. "I need a rose."

The blonde looked up at obsidian eyes. "W-What?" but Sasuke walked out of the flower shop, leaving her with that.

"It's for Sakura-chan. I donno if you can see it, but Sasuke's just as upset as you are." Naruto explained quietly. And with that, she complied.

-

-

-

Each day until the 11th day Sasuke went to Ino and bought a red rose. And each time he would give them to Sakura who was beginning to look even sicklier by each passing day.

Sasuke could tell by the bags under her eyes and how difficult it was for her to talk that

it was becoming harder for her to breathe and keep consciousness. Yet she refused to show him just how much pain she truly was in...

Because she didn't want to look weak in his eyes.

"S-Sasu-kun…" Sakura breathed as he walked in with another red rose and set it on her beside table. No longer could she manage to say his whole name, but she never failed to remember the suffix.

Sasuke resumed his regular position on the right side of her bed and touched her cheek. "I'm right here, Sakura." He told her gently. Emerald eyes weakly opened and a tiny smile curled at her lips. This was another thing she never failed to do.

"You've…been bringing me rose everyday…why?" The pink-haired woman asked, touching the hand on her cheek.

"Don't roses symbolize love, Sakura?" Sasuke asked her, amused by her reaction. She smiled again and gave a tiny nod. "But…I know you love me…Sasu-kun. So, why?"

"If roses symbolize love, then I'll love you…until the last rose dies." He replied softly, gazing into her emerald eyes. Though her skin was no longer its creamy color nor was her hair as bubblegum pink, no other woman could ever compare to her beauty.

…_One day, he brought her 12 roses and he said, "I'll love you 'till the last rose dies."_…

Sakura seemed startled by this. Because every rose and every flower wilted away. But she nodded. "Okay."

In between this time, Kin had died. She had refused any treatment, yet she died with a smile on her face. As if saying, _"I fulfilled my goal. Now I can die happily." _

Though she didn't want to be seen as a hero, she ad saved Sasuke. So as a tribute to her, the guards had buried her in the courtyard, next to Saito, the guards, and the elders who had died for the Uchiha family during orochimaru's stay at the castle.

'_I wonder if I'll die with such contentment like Kin did?…But when the last rose dies…will Sasuke-kun truly stop loving me…?' _Sakura thought before drifting to sleep in Sasuke's arms.

-

-

-

On the final day Sasuke returned with the 12th rose. Sakura was beginning to lose all color, and her lips were becoming cold. "Sa..su..kun," the pink-haired woman breathed.

The woman had extreme difficulty saying more than one word at a time, so Sasuke spent his time cradling Sakura in his arms. Occasionally he would tell her a story about his childhood. Unless Naruto and Hinata or Ino would come to visit and the keep them entertained until she fell asleep.

"I miss…sunset." Sakura told him weakly. She was also unable to speak in full sentences as well, but no matter how chopped they had become Sasuke understood.

She missed the sunlight because Shikamaru refused to let her walk around. Since she was in critical condition.

But today was the 12th day. It didn't matter if she ran around all of Konoha or stayed in bed; she was going to die by nightfall. So Shikamaru allowed it.

The raven-haired man carried her to the courtyard, set her on the grass, and laid beside her. But despite the excruciating pain, Sakura moved to his chest and stared at the rose in her hands. It was still full of life, even though the sun was setting.

_On the last day, all but one died…_

"Ali…ve." Sakura murmured, almost relieved. Sasuke gave a sad, light smile as he looked at her. "Look at it closely." The raven-haired man told her.

…_That's when she realized that it was fake…_

Obsidian-onyx eyes stared at the pink-haired woman on his chest and watched her emerald orbs widen in surprise. "It's…fake." She declared.

…_Which means it would never die…_

Sasuke nodded, recalling the events yesterday.

"_Here's the rose like you asked." Ino told him with a smile. Seeing Sasuke come in everyday to buy a single flower seemed strange, but the people of Konoha had noticed, and business had been booming ever since._

_But it wasn't just about money. There were days she couldn't visit Sakura, so Sasuke filled her in. _

"_Domo," Sasuke responded as he paid for the rose. "Don't give me a real rose tomorrow. Okay?" but this simply confused the blonde._

"…_I guess if it's for Sakura…" Ino whispered as she lowered her head. "Tomorrow's the last day, ne?" _

_The Uchiha nodded. "Aah."_

_Though tears threatened to fall from her cobalt eyes, she closed them and gave him a bright smile. "Tell forehead girl I love her like a sister, okay Uchiha? I won't be able to see her off tomorrow. Besides, I think…she'd like it better if she spent it with you and you alone."_

"_Aah." Sasuke replied before leaving the tiny shop._

Tears spilled from emerald eyes and stained his robes. "I'm glad…I thou…ght…" But Sakura never got around to finishing her sentence for Sasuke laid her onto the grass and kissed her tenderly; cradling her in his arms… For the last time.

…_And that meant he would love her forever._

"_I'll love you forever." _Sasuke's eyes seemed to say as Sakura's eyes became heavy. A smile, her last smile, curled at her lips when she read this.

"Ari…ga…to…Sa…suke…ku..n." Sakura murmured, before her eyes shut; forever shielding them from the world.

"What're you thanking me for, Sa-"but Sasuke's voice trailed off along with his smile when he stared at his pale blossom whose eyes was no longer open.

Obsidian eyes looked up at the sky; immediately realizing that the sun had set; replaced with a starry night sky.

Silence filled the air. "…Sakura?" Sasuke asked as he shook her a little. To no avail, she did not open her eyes and smile; telling him it was all joke.

Sakura couldn't be…

"_Sasuke-kun!"_

...gone forever…

"_Aishiteru, Sasuke-kun."_

…That couldn't have been the last time he could kiss her…

"_You stubborn Uchiha!"_

…The last words he would hear from her……….

"_I…miss you!"_

…The last smile he would see...

"_I love you with all my heart!"_

Was it…?

…But it was.

His blossom, the love of his life, the woman he had planned to marry, to start a family with…

She was gone.

His vision became blurred with tears. He allowed them to fall onto Sakura's cold cheeks as he held her tightly against his chest.

"She's gone. Isn't she, Sasuke?" Naruto asked quietly, appearing behind him. He put a hand on the man's shoulder; holding the motionless woman in his arms.

Sasuke gave a stiff nod. "It wasn't…supposed to end this way…"

He patted his almost brother's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, but Naruto knew better than anyone else that Sasuke was broken; perhaps beyond repair.

"Aah Sasuke. I know."

(**a/n: OMG that took FOREVER to end!! URGHH!! I HATE writer's block.**)

-

-

-

A few years later…

"Oi teme! Why don't you just live out here?" Naruto complained at the raven-haired man who was kneeling on the ground.

"Dobe." Sasuke acknowledge as he twirled a fake rose between his index finger and the pad of his thumb. The blonde frowned. "I mean seriously I think you come out here everyday and talk to Her. You obviously neglect that woman of yours."

A few weeks after Sakura's death, by order of the council, Sasuke was to marry a woman named Isuzu. A dark haired woman of the Water Country to tie their lands.

Though she never complained, Sasuke never seemed to pay any attention to her. Hell, if someone were to ask, the Uchiha probably wouldn't even have been able to tell them the color of her eyes.

And to make things worse, she was sterile.

"She's not my woman." He responded coldly. Naruto simply grinned goofily. "Just tryin' to cheer you up, teme. You always mope on this day."

"Shouldn't I?" Sasuke asked quietly. The smile faded on the blonde's face. "Yeah…you should."

Silence overcame them for awhile before Naruto spoke. "Sakura-chan sure was something, wasn't she? I miss her and Hinata-chan…"

"Aah." The raven-haired man replied. The blonde seemed to understand Sasuke better than anyone else. Hinata, the Hyuuga heiress, had fallen in love with Naruto and wanted to stay with him at Uchiha Castle.

But her father didn't allow it, and had been taken back to the Hyuuga clan by force a week after Sakura's death.

Yet, that didn't stop her from writing to him everyday. Nor did it stop her from running off every once and awhile to see him.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Sasuke asked without looking up after awhile. The blonde wasn't sure how he did it, but many hours a day did he stared at her grave.

Perhaps he talked to her?

"He's going with Gaara to Suna. Finding out where he came from and stuff. I donno why anyone would wanna live in a damn sandbox…you get dust in your eyes and hair and as-"

"Don't you have something to do, dobe?" the raven haired man demanded testily. Naruto's eyes widened, as if a light-bulb went off in his head. "Oh! Shit- yeah! Kiba owes me ramen! I'll see ya around, Sasuke! Tell Sakura-chan I said hi!" Naruto replied before sprinting off.

"Aah. I'll tell her." Sasuke mumbled under his breath as he sat with one of his legs folded, the other supported his elbow as he closed his obsidian eyes..

"_Mou, Sasuke-kun. I feel sorry for that poor wife of yours. You neglect her so much." _Said a voice as a breeze rolled by.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open. He rose and looked around. "Who's there?" he demanded with clenched fists, but inside, his heart screamed at the familiarity of the voice.

"_C'mon. It hasn't been THAT long, ne?" _

That's when she appeared.

In front of him. Transparent, but definitely there.

Warm emerald eyes met shocked obsidian ones as a smile curled at her lips.

"_You haven't changed. Have you, Sasuke-kun?" _Sakura asked, practically glowing from the sun as she walked over to the man. Who was shocked at the sight.

"Sa…kura?"

The pink-haired woman grinned at him. _"Come now, that expression doesn't suit you. Where's the cold, monotone Uchiha I've been watching over all this time?"_

Sasuke wiped the shock off his face, yet stared at her with softer eyes. Sakura touched his face, which felt warm despite her transparency. _"That's more like it. You're still so broken. Aren't you?"_

The Uchiha averted his gaze, which made her giggle. _"Because you're still so stubborn! If you give Isuzu a chance, I'm sure you'll fall in love with her. She's a pretty woman-"_

"No one will compare to you… Sakura." He told her firmly, which threw her off. Quickly, she regained her composure. _"If you don't forget me you're never going to heal!" _Sakura protested, fully frowning this time.

Yet to Sasuke, it was more like a pout.

She wanted him to be happy, yet she didn't want to be forgotten either. "I told you before, Sakura. I don't want to." The obsidian eyed male told her with his signature smirk as he closed the gap between them.

If she hadn't been nearly see-through, Sasuke would've sworn that she was blushing.

The pink-haired woman put a hand on his chest. _"Yeah but you tricked me! It's a fake rose!" _she protested as he held up the fake rose.

But Sasuke shook his head, still smirking at the girl. "It's a promise."

Though she frowned, he could tell she was holding back a smile. _"I don't think you'll ever change, you stubborn Uchiha. It's selfish of me, but…" _she paused to stand on tip-toes to kiss him chastely. Emerald eyes sparkled with happiness when she pulled away.

"_I'm glad you. Live on, happily. Sasuke-kun." _She told him and disappeared before his eyes.

Before he could hold her.

Before he could kiss her back.

Before he could tell her all the things that had happened to him, all the things he wanted to tell her before she died, but couldn't.

But most of all…he was able to tell her…that he was still madly in love with her.

Yet, as sad as he was, Sasuke was sure in his heart that Sakura knew everything by the smile on her lips.

"Hn. Remember, Haruno Sakura: dead or not…" The Uchiha paused to place the fake rose onto her grave. A true smile curled at his lips. But as he said this, a single tear trickled down his right cheek.

"You will _always _have my heart…"

'_Until the last rose dies…'_

**End.**

**Sweet Jesus of Heaven that took forever! I feel REALLY bad for not being able to get this up sooner. I stayed up past 2:3a.m to finish this, only I had to re-vise it, and my sister gets really annoying (since I'm older) so I haven't been able to concentrate…Sasuke might've been a little OOC...but it took me forever to get this out, so at this point I'm pretty sure you guys don't care :)  
**

**I realized that this used to be a tiny, probably 5-7 reader story, but now, 8 months and 44 chapters later I have over 900 reviews and more readers than I can ever remember having! I've also grown as a writer, and it's all thanks to my amazing readers/commenters who've stayed with me "till the end". You shall all be featured in the FINAL chapter of Rose, Ch. 45: Nani?! Happy Ending After All!**

**Till Next Time (soon hopefully…)**

**xxasukachanxx**


	45. Nani! A Happy Ending After All

**Mysterious Announcer from Nowhere: Welcome to the exclusive and Final Rose Extra! With your hosts:**

**Naruto: Uzumaki Naruto!**

**Mysterious Announcer from Nowhere: Anddddddd**

**Sakura: Haruno Sakura!**

**Sakura: We have a full audience tonight, all eager to see how the Sad ending of Rose: I'll Love You 'Till the Last Rose Dies differentiates from Nani?! Happy Ending After All. Ne?**

**Audience (Astrocam, mintxrain,uchiha helena-hime, one2bLoved, bloodygirl, sandwich-chan, xXSnowFoxXx, lito-pink-chihuahua, HinataMusaCorneliaRenee, amyXD, ..., SasuTenkawaii, crispy geco-chan, lil sweetpea27, Bell Laura, cherryblossom1917, Daughter of Unending Darkness, Kakashi500, LiNkInPaRkNaRuTo, Emiliackl, animelover07821, koyumi the death bringer, xImCharmedx, michelle, Princess Bhria, xxSassyActresscc, Shikime, shaude, Haru-Desu, Shikamaru's Baby A.K.A Ino. Twilight Princess67, Animeartist17, Alex, xXSasuxSakuXx, Quadira Zakia Yoko, SasuSaku13636, Namine-sama, cmartist, HoshikoK, Babykat570, i love hershey, QuietRiver, monique, doddle, Kurai Raiku-Kurai Kisaki, sasusaku779, ToraHimeSama, Drake Hellion, Miss Aerith experiment15, Akire Hyuuga, Kat, akatsuki-shadow-sakura, ch1b1-ch4n, and everyone else who read and didn't comment!): Right!**

**Sakura: Good! But first, a final message from xxasukachanxx who unfortunately couldn't make it!**

**Naruto: -whispers- you mean she's hiding somewhere safe so the readers who were mad about the Sad Ending first won't attack her…**

**WHACK!**

**Sakura: Shh! Naruto do you want them to here you?! Ah- ehehehe… anyway! Here's the final message: **

Hello again, my lovely readers, today I bring you the FINAL chapter of Rose: Nani?! A Happy Ending After All! Sorry once again for getting this up so late, but I was extremely dissatisfied with the length of this, so I've must've re-typed it 5 times now…I hope you enjoy it. I want to thank all the amazing readers who've reviewed/stuck by me 'till the end (along with being patient with me!)!

Yesterday, when I was checking the feedback I received for Ch. 44, I found that I had a whopping 974 reviews!! The day before I had 921 which means OVER 50 PEOPLE REVIEWED!! THAT'S MORE THAN I'VE EVER HAD IN ONE CHAPTER!! I was honestly crying happy tears TT –sniff- ARIGATO!!

I hope to see you all in the near future !

xasukachanxx

**Naruto: Ah…Sakura-chan…where's our special guests?**

**Sakura: ……….AH! Naruto!! Why didn't you bring them about BEFORE I read xxasukachanxx's message?!**

**Naruto: -sweatdrop- gomen…Please welcome our guest stars, Uchiha Sasuke-teme and Hyuuga Hinata-chan!**

**Audience: -applause-**

**Sasuke: Yo.**

**Hinata: K-Konbanwa. (Good evening)**

**Sakura: Welcome Sasuke-kun, Hinata! Or should we say UZUMAKI Hyuuga Hinata?!**

**Audience: OHHHH!?**

**Hinata: ………………. –blush-**

**Naruto: -grin- heheh**

**Sasuke: Oi, dobe. Roll the tape.**

**Naruto: Huh? …I don't have it.**

**Sakura: EHH?! NANI?! We gave it to YOU before the start of the extra! Shannaro!**

**Naruto: W-Whoa, whoa! Don't blame this one on me just because YOU and Sasuke-teme wanted a "quickie" before the show started!**

**Audience: OHHHHHHHHH?!**

**Sakura: -heavy blush- N-N-Naruto!! You can't say that here! Its T rated!**

**Sasuke: -smirks-**

**Naruto: Well SASUKE-TEME isn't denying it! I guess I'm right 'cause your face is darker than your hair, Sakura-chan!**

**Sasuke: -smirk widens- **

**Sakura: NAAARRUUUUTOOOOO!!**

**Kakashi: -suddenly appears with "tape"- I can't leave you guys to do the last segment on your own without arguing, can I? No matter…I didn't show up in this fic so why not make an appearance?**

**Naruto and Sakura: Kakashi-sensei!**

**Kakashi: -smiles- Let's roll the tape, shall we? As Team 7 and Hinata.**

**Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata: Yokai (understood)!**

**Hinata: T-The tape begins a few years later, o-only with a twist!**

00000000000000000000

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" a raven-haired male asked the grave in front of him softly as he twirled a rose between his thumb and index finger. His hair was slightly longer and spikier than ever, and his obsidian eyes were still cold.

Yet over time, through his subjects' eyes, they seemed to have softened.

"My wife and I have been good-"The man let out a sigh when he felt delicate hands wrap around his chiseled chest. "So _this _is where you've been. I've been looking for you all day!" The woman protested as she stood on her tip-toes to nuzzle his neck from behind.

"Hn." He answered as he continued to look at the grave. This made the woman frown. "Mou, Sasuke-kun, I'm sure She's looking down on you happily. You always mope when you come here…"

Sasuke turned his head to stare down at his wife. "Uchihas don't mope."

A smile curled at her rosy lips. "Obviously, _Uchiha _Sasuke does. Especially when you can't focus on your paperwork."

"Whose fault is that?" The male asked curtly. This made her giggle and give him a mischievous smile. "But you know you like it when I do _that_, Sasuke-kun." The woman countered.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at this as he wrapped an arm around her tiny waist and pulled her in front of him. "Hn. Annoying woman."

She giggled and claimed his lips.

"Hey!! Do you guys ever come up for air?!" Naruto complained loudly, appearing behind them.

The woman moved a clump of pink hair (**a/n: yes, pink XD. –Inserts ear plugs for readers that shall squeal at this time-**) that had fallen into her face and stuffed it behind her ear.

Her face lit up at the appearance as she ran over to the blonde man to embrace him. "Naruto!! I didn't know you were visiting today!"

The blonde had gone to live with Hinata at the Hyuuga mansion. Since she was heiress her father, Hiashi, hadn't allowed her to stay at Uchiha castle. But she refused to go back and resume her duties if Naruto didn't accompany her.

So for the first time, since her mother had died, her father allowed her this. And the two had been a happily married couple ever since.

Kaito had also passed during the three year time period, only this time; it was of old-age. But in his will, he had mentioned how proud he was Sasuke in finding Sakura, because now he would able to rest in peace; knowing the Uchiha would be happy all through his days.

"Che…probably because you were too busy putting your _tongue _in teme's mouth…" Naruto mumbled under his breath before he felt himself being bopped by the emerald eyed (**a/n: ooh I wonder who it is?**) woman.

"**What **was that, Naruto?" she asked in a dangerous tone as he rubbed his head. "IIITAIII (**a/n: means ow XD**)!! Sakura-chan I was just kidding…jeez you're gonna kill me! If it wasn't for me and pineapple head YOU wouldn't be here…you should be very grateful to Naruto-sama-"

"Naruto-sa…yeah right!" Sakura laughed and hit him again. "Now apologize!"

Though Sasuke would never admit it, Naruto was right.

_**Flashback**_

"_She's dying, isn't she?" Sasuke asked quietly. No matter how alright she seemed the Uchiha knew better. Sakura was suffering._

_The ponytailed man lowered his head. "I was able to heal her wound since it wasn't too close to her heart. But the poison is already making its way into her bloodstream. Sakura's case is a troublesome one, so judging by how much she's prolonged it on her own…she only has-"_

"_OI!! SASUKE-TEME!!" Naruto shouted as he ran over to the man. Kiba was beside him. In his hand he held a familiar pot of red, purple and blue spotted flowers._

_Sasuke stared at the flowers, which had been put on the floor as the men rested their hands on their knees. Had they been running?_

_That's when he remembered that the flowers had been won from Ino awhile back. The blonde grinned. "She said something about it being able to cure any poison or something."_

_Shikamaru shook his head. "I already did everything I could. Any troublesome meddling could kill her-"_

"_Why can't we try?! It's not too late yet!" Naruto protested. Kiba nodded at this. Both men's eyes sparkled with hope; no one wanted Sakura to die._

_After murmuring something about the two being "troublesome", he lowered his head in thought before looking up and giving them a willing smile. "I'll do what I can."_

_**End of Flashback**_

Sasuke remembered the feeling of hope being restored to him at that moment. After many days of waiting. Shikamaru was beginning to believe that Sakura was a hopeless cause. Until, of course, she proved him and everyone else wrong on the very last day.

_**Flashback**_

"_I don't know what else to do. It's troublesome but I think it's safe to say that she's going to-"_

_But Sakura began to whimper for Sasuke who immediately sat by her side. He moved the pink hair from her face. She opened her emerald eyes, which seemed to sparkle as it did before she had succumbed to the poison eating away at her body and will._

"_I…can breathe a little better…" Sakura murmured as she smiled at him._

_She was going to live._

_**End of Flashback**_

And at that moment, Sasuke couldn't begin to describe the relief and joy screaming inside him.

With it, he could've strangled the poor girl with the grip of his hug. He could've, if he had no dignity, jumped for joy and hugged his blonde best friend and Kiba who came up with the idea…

But of course, he knew better than that.

His thoughts returned to his pink-haired wife and best friend chattering among themselves and Sasuke couldn't help but smile slightly. No matter how much time passed without Naruto in their lives, when he returned, it was as if nothing changed.

Then again, both didn't seem to have changed too much.

Naruto, still being his goofy self, but he had grown a little taller. His jokes became less childish, and his voice had gotten lower. His blonde spiky hair had gotten longer as well.

And Sakura had cut her long pink locks so it was shoulder length and fanned out at the bottom. She had also grown, and at 21 Sakura was known for her mesmerizing beauty. She was also known was "the Uchiha's Flower".

"Oi, teme, do YOU remember why I'm here?" Naruto asked as he narrowed his eyes. This brought Sasuke out of his thoughts. He found his blonde friend in front of him now.

Sasuke looked at him dully. "Hn?"

He watched his friend's eyes widen in horror. "Don't tell me you forgot?!" Naruto asked wildly. The raven-haired man looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Remember what?"

He watched his friend grab his spiky blonde locks in devastation. "TEME!! HOW COULD YOU FORGET!! Is that chicken-ass hair style spiking into your brain?! I came here to tell you guys something really important!!"

"Chicken…ass?" Sasuke repeated with a puzzled expression. Immediately, in his mind, he saw a picture of himself turned to the side. But as he turned around instead of the spiky raven locks he was used to, the back of his head was replaced with a chicken's ass.

By the look on her husband's face, she could tell he was trying to visualize it. This earned a giggle out of the pink-haired woman. "Calm down Naruto," Sakura replied, moving behind him so she could wrap her arms around him. She pecked him on the cheek. "Just tell us what the unexpected visit's about."

Naruto sighed in defeat. "Aah…" but then he grinned. "I wanted to tell you guys that Hinata-chan's pregnant!"

Sakura lunged at the blonde and hugged his neck. "Kami that's great Naruto!! I'm so happy for you! How along is she?"

The cobalt eyed man's eyes lit up with excitement. "4 months."

"And why didn't you tell us sooner?!"

"I-I didn't even know until about a month ago! And Hinata-chan's hasn't been feeling good lately so Hiashi-jii wouldn't let me leave!" Naruto shuddered at the thought of Hinata's father locking the gates so he couldn't leave her side in her time of sickness.

He had also threatened him to hire someone to castrate him so he would never be able to give his first child a little brother or sister if he left.

"Oi Sasuke, have you heard from pineapple head lately?" Naruto added to the raven-haired man staring off into space. The thought of Hinata giving birth to a loud, blonde-headed boy scared him. Konoha would have an annoyance in both kingdoms…

Sakura put her hands on her hips. "He's spent so much time here visiting the gravesite that I wouldn't be surprised if he knew Shikamaru sent him a note a few days ago." She complained, pulling out the note from her yellow flowered kimono sleeve and handed it to Naruto.

Sasuke walked over to Naruto and read silently with him.

_Sasuke,_

_Yo. It's been awhile hasn't it? 3 years since I left Konoha to travel with Tsunade-sama. We're in Suna right now (Gaara says hi). Since we've been here 2600 people have been cured. I bet it's troublesome at the castle, now that you and Sakura are happily married (watch what you say. She's a certified doctor). I better not see a hoard of little Sasukes and Sakuras running around when my wife and I visit next month. But then again as…"healthy" as your relationship is I wouldn't be surprised. Tsunade-sama and Shizune, though, are looking forward to see if "Pinkie" bore any sons for the "Stubborn Uchiha". _

_See you soon, Shikamaru_

The three smiled at the note. Shortly after Shikamaru and Naruto cured Sakura, the man began to further research and breed the mysterious plant to create an antidote for the Sickness.

After Sakura was healthy and able to get around on her own, she spent many hours along side the ponytailed man. And at the end of the month the two had created a cure. The missing variable: the stem of a lunar flower.

News had quickly spread that the people of Konoha were being cured. And two weeks before Sasuke's 18th birthday the great Tsunade appeared with her team of medics and researchers…

And surprisingly brought someone (very special to Shikamaru) with her.

The woman who had "stolen his heart and left him"…

_Tsunade appeared before Uchiha castle early in the morning. From Sasuke's window (with the amount of people in front of the gates), it appeared to be a small army._

_But Sakura seemed to immediately know who it was and rushed down to greet her. _

"_T-T-Tsunade…sama!! W-What an honor it is to stand before you…what brings you to Uchiha castle?" Sakura stammered as she looked up at the high-heeled, busty blonde woman looking down at her._

_She smiled at her. "Hmm…pink-hair, green-eyes…your Haruno's daughter aren't you?"_

"_Y-You knew my father?!" _

_Tsunade nodded. "Indeed I did. I was using the Hyuuga's research lab when I found him apprehended by their men for working with Orochimaru. Because of that strain I've been traveling to all around the world to find a cure for It." her smile turned to a smirk. "But I never thought that his daughter would continue what he started."_

_A woman with curly golden hair tied in three ponytails appeared beside the woman. "Please take me to Nara Shikamaru."_

_-_

_-_

_-_

"_Tsunade-sama!" Shikamaru found himself murmuring when the woman and her "people" gathered in the infirmary. But his surprised expression turned into complete shock when the woman who introduced herself to Sakura as "Temari" _(**a/n: sorry ShikaxIno lovers, but in this AU-thanks to the reader who told me the meaning - it's ShikaxTema.**) _appeared before them._

_A small smirked crossed her lips as she walked closer to him. "Yo?"_ (**a/n: I've never written about Temari so she might be OOC…gomen!**)

"_T-Tema…ri…" Shikamaru murmured. The smirk widened as she placed her hand on one of her curvy hips. "Happy to see me?"_

_But what she wasn't expecting was him frowning. "Happy? You troublesome woman I want to know why are you and Tsunade-sama here!"_

_The woman scowled and grabbed his robes. "Troublesome?! YOU'RE the one who's TROUBLESOME! I'm WORKING with Tsunade-sama!!" _

_Shikamaru expression softened at this. But Temari refused to let go of him. Her grip even seemed to tighten. "…Working with?" he repeated._

"_You bet your ass I am! After I left your lab I ran into her. She tested my intelligence and I impressed her. I've been traveling with her ever since. But of course, you wouldn't KNOW that because YOU were too caught-up in your damned research to CARE!"_

_Sakura stood wide-mouthed at this woman. First, she waltzes in with Tsunade, demands to see Shikamaru, and then verbally lashes out at him! _

…_This was the woman that stole his heart? She was positively scary!_

"_Well SORRY for trying to find a cure for the world!"_

"_WELL SORRY FOR NOT BEING WORTHY OF YOUR TIME!!"_

"_Temari! We didn't come here to discuss the past. You agreed not to lash out at this man if I brought you along. __**And you're complying…right**__?" Tsunade yelled dangerously. Sakura took a few steps away from the blonde woman and her scary expressions._

_But Temari merely seemed to sigh at this face before setting him down. "Aah. Sumimasen." _

"_Now that that's all settled, Nara Shikamaru I would personally like to congratulate you and Haruno Sakura here." The woman replied, clapping her hands. The rest of the people followed suit._

"_Despite what you had to do to achieve it, you and Sakura have accomplished something that many, even I, could not. Therefore, I would like you both to accompany me to travel around the world- with your antidote and help cure the world!"_

"…_T-Travel…with Tsunade-sama…?" Sakura repeated to herself as she stared down at the ground. It had been her dream to travel with the Legendary doctor since she was little When she still harbored hate for her father, she could've easily found him (if he were still alive)especially since she had many connections world-wide._

_But of course, Sakura was enjoying life at Uchiha castle and had completely forgotten about her childhood dream…_

…_All because of Sasuke._

_But this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance!_

"_She's not going." Sasuke replied, appearing through the crowd of people. He stood beside Sakura and stared into the blonde's eyes. _

"_Oh? You must be the 'Stubborn Uchiha' I've been hearing about. Excuse me for saying this, but I think that pinkie here has a brain of her own. You don't make her decisions."_

"_P-Pinkie…?!"'SHANNARO!! LEGENDARY OR NOT NO ONE CALLS ME THAT!!' Inner Sakura screamed._

_The male narrowed his eyes at her and held up her hand which held a shining engagement ring. Her subordinates 'oohed' and 'ahhed'. "She's my future wife. I have a say in if she leaves or stays."_

_Tsunade scoffed. "Lord or not you're being a spoiled brat. You aren't her keeper. Sakura may do what she pleases. Don't you see? She could save thousands of people. Perhaps millions."_

"_T-Tsunade-sama!" Shizune, a dark-haired woman traveling with them whispered. Tsunade was really slipping out of line; talking to the lord of Konoha that way. _

"_Brat?" Sasuke repeated, his eyes began to flicker red. Sakura held him back gently. "Sasuke-kun, please…" she turned back to Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, forgive me, but could you give us some time to discuss this?"_

"_Very well. We'll return tomorrow for your answer. But please, think it through. And let it be a true one, or I won't allow you to go or force you to myself." And with that, they took their leave._

That day Sasuke and Sakura had their first big fight. But in the end, at least from what the servants and guards on the 3rd floor had heard Sakura seemed to win in the end.

"_Hn. If you want to leave, then do so." Sasuke replied coldly as he turned his back on her so he could stare at the window. _

_He had expecting the woman to begin crying and run out of the room, but she did the exact opposite. Sakura spun the man around and viciously slapped him across the face. "Uchiha Sasuke! Did I ONCE say that I wanted to go with Tsunade-sama?!"_

_Sasuke became quiet as he held his stinging cheek. Sakura went on. "The main reason why I wanted to travel with Tsunade-sama was to find my father and find the answers to all my questions…I came here with that intention and nothing more, but…" she paused to touch the cheek where she had struck. "But I didn't think I would fall in love with you. Nor did I think that my father was actually dead and a good man…"_

_The raven-haired leaned against the window pane now and stared at her. "So now do you understand? I want…to stay here with you, Sasuke-kun. As your wife." Tears fell down her cheeks as she finished._

_He embraced her this time. "I'm sorry, Sakura. For…doubting."_

Shikamaru, on the other hand, had a different experience. He had gone on a walk to clear his hand, and found himself watching the clouds in the forest. Only surprisingly he ran into Temari…

"_You're so peculiar. Who watches the clouds?" Temari had asked as she sat down next to him. "What're you doing here?" Shikamaru asked her quietly as he closed his eyes._

"_I haven't been to Konoha, so I decided to explore the city. I didn't expect to find you here if that's what you're getting at." She scoffed. But he simply chuckled. It made her scowl. _

"_What's so funny?!"_

_Shikamaru shook his head. "Nothing. It's just funny how you haven't changed at all."_

_The two stayed quiet for awhile. Before she murmured, "I thought you were dead." _

_This was enough for Shikamaru to look at the woman. "Dead?" he asked. Temari nodded stiffly. "A few months after I left I heard some villagers talking about a lab that had been burnt down by a deer forest and no bodies had been found. That lab was yours, wasn't it?"_

_Shikamaru looked back up at the clouds. "Aah. Things became so troublesome after you left that I became an alcoholic. One day I got too drunk and ended up burning down my lab and life's work. I went into a coma, and after a few days I woke up in Uchiha castle. I've been here ever since."_

_Temari grabbed her shirt, sat him up and slap him. "You IDIOT!! You could've died!! You never even LIKED drinking!!"_

_The ponytailed man looked at her in annoyance before he closed his eyes. She ranted on. "How the HELL did you manage to burn it down? It's not like you smoked…unless you did that too?!"_

_Shikamaru found himself chuckling at this. But it only made her angrier. "I'M BEING SERIOUS!!" Temari shouted at him._

_But he only smiled at her. "You only got this mad at me when you were worried. You really were afraid that I died, huh?"_

_Temari hesitated, but found him fully sitting up and holding her in his arms. "I became an alcoholic…because life was troublesome and meaningless without you, Temari." He replied._

_Her eyes widened at this. "Does…this mean?"_

_Shikamaru grinned this time. "Aah, you troublesome woman. I'm coming with you."_

But Shikamaru and Temari weren't the only ones that had reunited. She had also stumbled upon Gaara, her long lost brother. Who had gone missing after being seen with a pale man with monstrous eyes and a creepy smile.

The departure had been heartbreaking, because Nara Shikamaru (though he hadn't planned it) had become very popular at his stay in Uchiha castle. Later the two learned that he had proposed to Temari and returned to Konoha for their wedding.

Tsunade was pleased with the man's decision, but was all the more disappointed when Sakura had decided to stay with Sasuke at Uchiha castle.

"_That's too bad. You would've been able to surpass me with the right training." The busty blonde sighed._

_Sakura bowed. "Thanks, but I like it here. I think now I finally found my place in life."_

"_I had high expectations for you, Sakura. Stories about your family too." Tsunade said as she put her hands on her hips. But she smiled at the girl. "I'm glad you chose love over fame. Give the Uchiha my regards. May you both live a long and happy life with many, many children!"_

Sakura blushed at the thought but waved it off. She turned her attention to Naruto who looked as if the forest had grown eyes and laughed at him. "Naruto? What is it?"

"Shit! I need to get Hinata-chan's blueberry and cream cheese muffins!! She's gonna kill me…Hinata-chan is scary when she's mad; especially since she's pregnant… Ja!" the blonde replied before sprinting off towards Konoha.

Sakura giggled at the thought of a Hinata eating such a peculiar muffin. _'She's definitely pregnant…' _she thought with a smile. "Could you imagine Naruto daddy, Sasuke-kun?" she asked him when he put an arm around her waist.

Sasuke stiffened at the thought. "Can you?"

Sakura hit him lightly. "Yes, I can! I think he'll be a great daddy…he just needs to mature a little. I'm sure Hinata will beat it into him." She paused to stare up at his skeptical expression. "She's pregnant. We have mood swings for no apparent reason."

The two laid down on the grass, watching the clouds illuminate the sky painted with varieties of reds, yellows, and purples.

Sakura crawled her way onto his chest. "Sasuke-kun?" she asked her husband who had his arms behind his head and eyes closed. "Hn?" he asked lazily.

She began fiddling with the emerald necklace he had given her years ago. "…What would you have done…if I Naruto wouldn't have found Ino's flower and gave Shikamaru idea to try it on me 3 years ago?"

Sasuke opened an eye to peer at her. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Well why not? I mean...if I died that night what would you have done?" Sakura asked, unable to look up at him. The male sat up and cupped her chin so she was eye-level with him. "…I couldn't live."

Large emerald eyes stared into solemn obsidian ones. He moved his hand to cup her cheek which leaned into his touch. Her eyes lowered to the grass, which swayed from the breeze. "I'm sure you could, Sasuke-kun! There are so many beautiful women in this world…much prettier than I am. They would've made wonderful wives if I had died-"

"You're wrong. I wouldn't find anyone else in this world." Sasuke interjected firmly and forced her to look into his eyes. His expression softened when he met her green pools. "Because…you're it. _You're_…my world."

"I'm…your world?" Sakura repeated as gaped at him. She… (Formerly) Haruno Sakura…was Uchiha Sasuke's, Konoha's Hokage, world??

Sasuke looked away as an attempt to hide his blush. "A-Aah-"but his voice trailed off when the woman tackled him to the grass with a happy squeal.

"Sasuke-kun you're so sweet! What happened to the monotone, cold Uchiha I met 3 years ago?" Sakura grinned, straddling him now. The man beneath her side and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.

He could never get her to be serious when he admitted things like this. She claimed, "it wasn't like him". "Che, annoying woman…" Sasuke mumbled as she sat him up. Her hand didn't leave his robes as she leaned closer, so their lips were barely touching.

"Arigato…Sasuke-kun." She said to him, the smile on her lips never leaving her features. But he didn't seem to understand. "What're you thanking me fo-"but once again, Sakura cut him off and leaned in to kiss him.

"For saving me. If I hadn't met you…not only would I still be chasing after my dead, innocent father and making a living by selling flowers but…I'd still be alone." Sakura explained softly when they broke away.

Sasuke gave her his rare, tiny smile. "Aah, watashi mo."

After a few minutes Sasuke rose and knelt before the grave he had been staring at before Sakura and Naruto's arrival.

"What're you doing?" Sakura asked, rising. _'The last time he had knelt before this grave he fell asleep because he was out here so long!!' _she thought with a frown.

But she was surprised to see him set the rose that he had been playing with on the grave marked: _Here lies Uchiha Mikoto. Uchiha castle's cherished Lady Hokage. May she rest in peace and watch over us all._

The obsidian eyed male stood, and turned back to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck affectionately as he took in her scent; sweet smelling cherry blossoms. "Giving my regards to her." He replied.

During the time before Sakura had been healed, and even well after, Sasuke visited his mother's (his father and grandfather's as well) grave often and for many hours a day. If the raven-haired male was nowhere to be found, Sakura knew that he would be here. Because before her, Uchiha Mikoto was the only woman he allowed into his life. The woman who mothered him and Naruto unconditionally. The woman who cared for him in ways his father could not. The woman he called his mother; taken away from him at a young age.

And even though it didn't compare to the real thing, Sakura knew he talked to her because, though he would never admit it, inside he was nothing more than a boy who missed his mommy.

Sakura ran her fingers through his hair subconsciously. "I'm sure she appreciates that her son comes to talk to her. It means that not even death could hinder your bond with her!"

Sasuke held her tighter as she continued. "I'm sure Mikoto-sama and your entire family is proud ouf you as well, Sasuke-kun. You lost so much, yet in the end you didn't become depressed and cold. Now you're not known as 'the ice-hearted prince' but 'the Hokage'. A kind one even!"

Sasuke held her tighter. "Aah." _'Because I have you…'_

The bonds Sasuke had formed with everyone, Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Gaara, Gai and Lee, Kaito, Hinata, Sakura and all of Konoha never broke. Even when Naruto moved away and Shikamaru went to cure the world and be with the love of his life, they stayed close, perhaps closer than ever.

That's when he realized, that no matter how alone he had felt after he was left as the "last Uchiha", he never was truly alone.

Sakura showed him this.

She truly was an extraordinary woman. A woman…he could call his world and the love of his life. A woman he could call "his and his only".

A mischievous smile curled at her lips after a few minutes of silence. "You know what will make them even happier, Sasuke-kun?" she asked. This made her look at her in puzzlement. "Hn?"

Sakura moved to his ear. "By giving them a grandson!" she whispered, blowing in his ear tauntingly. Sasuke gave her a sadistic smirk. "Is that so, Sa.ku.ra?"

She grinned and nodded childishly. "Uh-huh Kaito-san even said-"but she gave a squeal when he picked her up bridal style. "What're we waiting for then?"

The pink-haired woman gave cheerful laugh before Sasuke carried her away.

Sasuke and Sakura had suffered much heartbreak, tragedy, loneliness, grief, betrayal, adversity, and death, but in the end the two had set aside the pain in exchange for each other's love.

A love undying. Something true and unconditional.

Love was never easy for them. In fact, it was damn hard. Life made them go through things they hoped they would never have to, but in the end, it was worth it in the end…

And from the heavens, both the Uchihas and the Harunos smiled down on them.

Because their pain created something indescribable, unexplainable…

Like the smell of a _rose _or the rain…

It brought them together; creating a love undying.

Because she was his world, and him, hers.

'Till the Last Rose Dies…End.

(**a/n: KAMI THAT TOOK FOREVER TO END!! I couldn't quite end it right, so it definitely took me MUCH longer than expected. I wanted to truly go out with a bang, big or small it didn't really matter, not just a 'poof'. Which would've left you guys like…"That's it…? W…T…F…?!** ** I hope you all enjoyed the happy ending! Now back to the closing of the Final Rose Extra!**)

**Sakura: -sniff- I can't believe Rose has finally ended…**

**Sasuke: Well it had to end sometime.**

**Naruto: Teme's right, Sakura-chan. It's been 45 chapters and 8 months.**

**Sakura: I know, I know…but I mean…no more Rose Extras…no more airtime!!**

**Hinata: W-Why don't you just ask xxasukachaxx to write us into her future work like she d-did here?"**

**Sakura: -grins- That's a great idea, Hinata! Wow, I'm not sure how you can stay so intelligent; living with Naruto and all…**

**Naruto: -falls over- S-S-Sakura-chan! You're so cruel…**

**Sasuke: -chuckles quietly- She's right, dobe.**

**Naruto: Gah! T-Temeeeeeee-**

**Sakura: –turns to audience- Now then! You're probably wondering what to look for in the future from xxasukachanxx, ne?**

**Audience: AAH!!**

**Sasuke: -puts hand in pocket- Hn. Here:**

A Different Desire (inspired by akatsuki-shadow-sakura!!):

Summary description: She thinks she can punish me for leaving her by seeing that pale artist guy. But she forgets that I'm an Uchiha, and I ALWAYS get what I want. No matter what. And this time, I want something different. I want Haruno Sakura.

Main pairing: SasuxSaku implied SaixSaku

Estimated Chapters: 1-3?

**Hinata: N-Next is:**

(No Title Yet, but inspired by Astrocam!!)

They thought they hated each other. "She's going to kill him with kunai" "He's going to kill her with one of his "weird" kung-fu moves." This is what they thought-until she needed a heart transplant. "Who's first on the donor list?" "…Hyuuga Neji."

Main Pairing: NejixTen

Estimated Chapters: One-Shot :D!

**Naruto: This one too!**

I Can't Take It:

She's a model. He works at a burger place. They tell her not to eat. They tell him he can't do anything right. Finally, they're sick of it. This couple is taking a stand. (Think of the video to Paramore- Pressure)

Main Pair: NaruxHina

Inspiration: Pressure

Song: Check Yes Juliet (maybe…)

Estimated Chapters: One-Shot :D!

**Sakura: Don't forget this one!**

You're Troublesome, but...:

Summary Description: I have a troublesome wife; loud, irritating, pregnant, short-tempered, demanding-did I mention pregnant? "Shikamaru if she's 'troublesome' divorce her already!" "I can't. I'm in love her."

Main Pairing: ShikaxIno/SasuxSaku

Song: Fall For You

Estimated Chapters: One-Shot :D!

**Sasuke: This too:**

Run Away With Me, My Blossom:

Summary Description: Every 2 years he comes to visit me, and each time he tells me to run away with him. I refuse, but he always returns to me. Only this time, I think he's serious. "I won't return again Sakura. It's me, or them."

Main Pairing: SasuxSaku

Song: Ocean Avenue

Estimated Chapters: One-Shot :D!

**Sakura: xxasukachanxx has decided that her readers have experienced much angst in Rose. So she will be postponing the release of Holding Her Last Breath: Just 3 Days!**

**Naruto: Che…it's probably 'cause she isn't done editing it yet…**

**Sasuke: Hn, probably.**

**Hinata: I-I agree…**

**Sakura: Y-You guys! You can't say that about the author! She probably watching us from somewhere…plotting to get us back by writing about something terrible…like…a NaruxSasu yaoi!! **

**Naruto and Sasuke: -chokes-**

**Hinata: ?!**

**Sakura: Heh! Just kidding guys! xxasukachanxx told me to say something like that if you insulted her….ah…guys? …Guys?**

**Naruto: -holds his knees on the floor- …Me…and Sasuke-teme? She wouldn't do that…would she…?**

**Sasuke: -walks away- …mental pictures…**

**Hinata: ……………………………….-faints-**

**Sakura: Well, since my co-hosts are…preoccupied…it appears the Final Rose Extra had come to an end. Minna, Sayonara! I hope to see you all soon!**

**Rose Final Extra End!**


End file.
